


Begin Again

by ReneeWritesx



Series: A Light To Call Home [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Small Town, Angst, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, F/M, Fashion Designer Magnus Bane, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Alec, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse, Photographer Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-17 08:07:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11271498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeWritesx/pseuds/ReneeWritesx
Summary: Unpacking sucked. And Magnus had only brought like half of his things. Okay, maybe two-thirds. But whatever, it didn’t matter. What did matter was that Magnus was sweating from carrying boxes, the cottage had no air conditioning, and he was super close to packing everything back up and driving back to New York in about three seconds.-Or the one where heartbreak is a pain in the ass, Magnus is forced to spend the summer in a small cottage in the hopes of finding his passion for design again, and manages to piss off the cute neighbor after only being there for two days."The only real pain in life is between hanging on and letting go."





	1. Take My Mind & Take My Pain

Saugatuck. Home of small shops, diners, and cottages, tucked into a tiny pocket along the Michigan coast. Filled with too-friendly people who were always looking to strike up a conversation. Population: 925. Well, 926 now. 

Magnus sighed as he stared at the small cottage in front of him. It was tucked into the woods, and he could hear the sound of the waves from the lake hitting the shore on the other side. The wood was painted a navy blue that had faded quite a bit, accented by white shutters and trim. The roof was missing a few shingles, but otherwise the cottage seemed to be intact. 

It was smaller than he imagined, Magnus had to admit. When Ragnor had suggested (forced) Magnus to spend a summer away from New York City and had offered up his cottage, Magnus had imagined something a little more extravagant. Ragnor, much like Magnus himself, wasn’t one who was afraid of splurging. This place didn’t seem very Ragnor-like at all. It was quaint, that was for sure. And quaint was a word that he never thought he would use to describe his home. Well, temporary home. Either way, Magnus didn’t like it. 

He understood Ragnor’s intentions. The past few months had been draining, challenging, and absolutely mentally exhausting. More often than not, Magnus had found himself never wanting to leave his bed. Heartbreak was a pain in the ass. 

Letting out another sigh, Magnus turned on his heel and walked back to his car, opening the trunk. He took a moment to look down the street. Ragnor’s cabin had no neighbor to the left, just woods. The entire street was surrounded by woods, blanketing it away from the main part of town. It was dirt road, much to Magnus’s dislike -- it was totally going to ruin his shoes, and he could see a few other cottages tucked into the woods along it until the road ended where the woods became thicker. Some cottages were on the other side of the road, and they sat deeper in the trees, some barely visible. Ragnor’s was on the side of the road that faced the lake. 

Magnus turned his attention back to his trunk, pulling two of his suitcases out. With a huff, he lugged them up the squeaky steps and dropped them down on the porch. He pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He hesitated briefly before pushing the door open, wincing as the hinges creaked in protest. He dragged the two bags inside and looked around. 

The interior reminded him much more of Ragnor. The walls were a deep maroon, accented by dark mahogany beams running across the ceiling and dark wood floors. None of the furniture quite went together, having most likely been accumulated from all over the world. 

Magnus was standing in a small entryway. Directly in front of him was a wooden staircase. Just beyond that, he could see a small kitchen area. To his right was a small room that appeared to be an office. Magnus found himself smiling, easily able to imagine Ragnor seated at the desk as he worked on his latest book. To his left was a living room, decorated with a large gray couch accented with lots of pillows, a few bookshelves, a fireplace with a rug in front of it, and a small TV. 

Magnus’s eyes fell upon a picture frame situated along a shelf in the hallway that led toward the kitchen. He took a step closer, smiling at the familiar faces that smiled back at him. Ragnor was smiling widely in the photo, a drunken haze in his eyes. Catarina sat beside him, her arm thrown over his shoulder and her lips tilted in a soft, loving smile as she looked at Ragnor with absolute adoration. Normally, Magnus would joke that their love made him sick, but he was truly happy for them. They had found their person -- the person that made every bad thing feel not so bad and made every small moment feel monumentally big. Magnus wasn’t sure anymore if he would ever find that. 

There was another photo, and Magnus found himself smiling wider. Ragnor stood in the middle with Magnus and Raphael on either side of him. Magnus and Ragnor were both laughing at something while Raphael stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his usual glare present on his face. But there was no real anger in it, and Magnus could see just the hint of a smile on his lips. Magnus remembered that night clearly. They had been out celebrating the success of Magnus’s new line at New York Fashion Week. It had also been the night Magnus had met Camille. 

Magnus turned away sharply, walking down the hall and entering the kitchen. His eyes widened slightly as he was greeted by the sight of large, floor to ceiling windows along the far wall, only broken up by a door that led outside. He stepped forward, finding himself gazing over the blue lake, its surface smooth other than the occasional small wave. Ragnor’s yard stretched down to the lake, with a small beach and a dock that extended quite far. There was a small deck attached to the cottage, just big enough for a table with chairs around it. 

A loud bark broke the silence, startling Magnus. He looked to his right to see a dog running around in the yard next door. It was a rather large dog, with long black fur and pointed ears. A person came into view, chasing after the dog, and Magnus found himself leaning even closer to the window, resting his palms against the glass. 

The man was tall, his movements graceful as he played with the dog. His hair was dark and styled in an upwards messy motion. His skin was pale, and Magnus noticed the hint of a tattoo peeking up from the collar of his black shirt. A smile stretched across his cheeks as he knelt down to pet the dog, and Magnus licked his lips at the sight of his arm muscles. 

Whoever this man was, he was gorgeous. If any of his friends were present, Magnus would be demanding that they pinch him. No one should ever be allowed to be that pretty, it wasn’t fair. Magnus leaned forward as he attempted to get a better look, only to hit his forehead against the window with a thump. 

The man’s head snapped up and for a moment, their eyes met. Magnus wanted the ground to swallow him up right then and there. If the embarrassment of being caught watching wasn’t enough to kill him, the man’s stunning eyes were. Magnus found himself unable to do anything but stare back, and the man quickly looked away. After a few moments, both he and the dog walked inside the man’s cottage. 

Magnus followed him with his eyes, not even caring that he was being totally creepy. The man had a sunroom attached to his cottage completely made out of windows, including the ceiling. Magnus could see lots of plants in the room, as well as the man and his dog. He forced himself to look away before the man would catch him staring again. 

Magnus groaned and hit his head on the glass again, this time on purpose. Right when he thought that maybe, just maybe, he would potentially have some fun this summer, he had to go and make a fool of himself. He sighed and turned away from the window, heading back out to his car to grab the last of his things. 

He was almost done emptying the car, with just one more box of sketchbooks to grab, when a voice startled him. 

“Are you moving in?” 

Magnus’s head shot up, hitting the roof of the open trunk. There was a snort of laughter behind him and he turned to see a blonde standing in the driveway with his arms crossed over his chest. There was an amused expression on his face, and a hint of mischief danced in his eyes. 

“Just for the summer,” Magnus said, rubbing the top of his head. Usually, he was much more graceful than this. He blamed it on the stupid town and stupid Ragnor for making him come here. 

He clearly hadn’t done a very good job of hiding his disdain, because the blonde’s expression shifted slightly and he raised an eyebrow. “Are you a friend of Ragnor?”

“You know him?” Magnus said in surprise. 

“Well, yeah,” the blonde said, as if it was obvious. “I live over there,” he added, gesturing toward a gray cottage a little further down the road. “Everyone basically knows everyone around here. I’m Jace, by the way.”

Magnus startled when Jace stretched his hand out, but quickly recovered to shake it. “Magnus.”

Something lit up in Jace’s eyes. “So you’re the infamous Magnus!”

Magnus groaned, bringing his hand up to his forehead for a moment. “Oh, dear. What has Ragnor told you about me?”

The mischief returned to Jace’s expression. “Oh, just a few things. Some old college stories.”

Magnus cursed under his breath and Jace laughed. 

“Is it true that you purposefully flooded the floor in your dorm in the middle of winter to make an ice rink?” Jace asked, grinning widely. 

“I was very, very drunk.”

Jace laughed again before pointing at him. “I like you. Do you need any help moving in?”

“I’m just about done, actually,” Magnus said, gesturing to the last box in his trunk. “But could you tell me where the closest grocery store is?”

“In the next town over, about thirty minutes away,” Jace said, and Magnus’s shoulders sagged. “But there is a small store in town. You can probably find most of the essentials if you don’t feel like going that far tonight.”

“Alright,” Magnus said, biting down a sigh. How did these people live like this? There was practically a store on every block in New York. “Thanks.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” Jace said as he walked backwards down the driveway. “I’m just four cottages down.”

Before Magnus could reply, Jace turned and began walking down the street. Magnus turned back to his car and grabbed the last box, shutting his trunk and locking the car. He walked inside and set the box down in Ragnor’s office. This was where he was going to do his work while he was here. 

Inspiration had been hard to come by lately, and the struggle was clear in Magnus’s designs. He needed to get his shit together, and soon, or there was no way he was going to be ready for New York Fashion Week next year. Magnus stacked the boxes containing his supplies on the desk before carrying some of his bags upstairs. The upstairs was more equivalent to a loft, containing only a bedroom with a small bathroom attached. 

Magnus pushed the bedroom door open with his shoulder and stepped inside. Again, he found himself looking at a large window that held a view of the lake. It wasn’t nearly as big as the ones in the kitchen, and navy blue curtains hung on either side. There was a large bed pushed up along the wall near the window and a single dresser. Magnus sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the small, sad dresser. There was no way all of his clothes would fit in there. 

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and Magnus quickly made his way downstairs. He opened the door to find himself face to face with a smiling, beautiful face. 

“Hi! I’m Izzy,” the girl said, brushing some of her dark curls out of her face. “I live down the road. My brother said someone had moved into Ragnor’s cabin for the summer, so I wanted to come introduce myself. And I brought you this.” 

She held up a loaf of baked bread in her hands, and the smell of bananas greeted Magnus’s nose. 

“Banana bread, huh?” he said, surprised to find himself smiling. “That’s my favorite.”

Izzy grinned victoriously as Magnus took the loaf into his hands. Magnus scanned his eyes over her, noticing she was dressed much differently than anyone else he had encountered in town so far. 

“Where do you get your clothes?” Magnus asked desperately. “Is there a shopping mall somewhere close? I didn’t see anything in town.”

Izzy laughed. “The next town over has a lot of shops and boutiques, and a small mall. I would have assumed you would have already figured this out!”

Magnus furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?” 

“I know you’re a fashion designer,” Izzy said, excitement dripping into her words. “Ragnor mentioned it once. I own like ten pairs of your shoes.”

Relief washed over Magnus. At least there appeared to be at least one person in this town that would share his love of fashion. 

Izzy’s phone beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket, reading the message. “I have to go, but if you ever need anything, or want to go shopping, I’m the cottage at the very end of the street.”

“Thank you,” Magnus said, watching her as she walked away. He turned to step inside when another voice caught his attention. 

“I wouldn’t eat that if I were you.” 

Magnus turned to see tall, dark, and handsome from next door seated in a chair on his porch. He was putting a harness on his dog and was dressed in running clothes that left little to the imagination. 

“Excuse me?” Magnus blurted out. 

The man stood, clipped a leash on the dog’s harness, and stepped off of his porch. He took a few steps into Ragnor’s yard, and Magnus took a moment to scan his eyes over the man, especially appreciating the running tights. 

“If Izzy made that,” the man said, gesturing toward the banana bread, “I wouldn’t eat it. She’s a terrible cook.” 

For a moment, Magnus found himself at a loss of words. He shook himself, looking down at the bread. “What makes you say that?”

“I’ve learned from experience,” the man said, and Magnus looked back toward him, raising an eyebrow. “Eat it at your own risk.”

Without another word, the man tugged on the dog’s leash and began to jog. Magnus watched him until he disappeared from sight, and then looked down at the load of bread. Now that he looked at it closely, he noticed the color was a little off. He scrunched his nose and walked back inside. 

-

Unpacking sucked. And Magnus had only brought like half of his things. Okay, maybe two-thirds. But whatever, it didn’t matter. What did matter was that Magnus was sweating from carrying boxes, the cottage had no air conditioning, and he was super close to packing everything back up and driving back to New York in about three seconds. 

He debated calling Raphael and begging him to come stay with him, or even begging Ragnor to let him come home. But Magnus was stubborn and there was no way in hell he was letting them have the satisfaction of seeing him give up after only a day away from the city. Plus, he could imagine the disappointed looks on their faces if he came back so soon. They wanted what was best for him, and apparently they thought this was it. 

"Take a break, amigo. Get out of here. You need some time." Magnus could almost picture Raphael leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed over his chest and the same mixture of bored and annoyed that always controlled his features. 

"No one goes through what you did and just magically heals, my friend. It takes time." Stupid Ragnor and his talent of always being right. Magnus had agreed with him on the fact that healing takes time, but he hadn’t expected Ragnor to persuade him to spend the entire summer in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere. 

Magnus’s stomach growled and he sighed, looking at the clock above the stove. 8:15. He was going to have to hurry if he wanted to make it to the store in town before it closed. He decided to walk into town since it was so close. People mingled in the streets, and the sound of laughter and fun conversations drifted from the restaurants and shops. He managed to find the store and stepped inside, the bell above the door echoing throughout the quiet space. 

He grabbed a basket and walked down the few aisles, quickly filling his basket with some things to get him through until he managed to do some proper shopping. It looked like his dinner was going to be cereal, because he didn’t feel like cooking anything at this point at night. 

Walking had seemed like a good idea until he realized he was going to have to carry the four bags back. He was nearing the street when one of the bags started to rip. Magnus cursed under his breath and started to walk faster. 

“Need help?” 

Magnus glanced behind him to see the man from next door and his dog. “How long of a run did you go on?” he exclaimed. 

“Five miles,” the man said as he extended an arm toward Magnus. 

Magnus handed him two of the bags and they fell into step beside each other. The dog was off its leash, but remained obediently at the man’s side. 

“Five miles?” Magnus repeated. “Who the hell runs five miles for fun?”

The man smiled slightly, and Magnus found himself lost in his eyes again. “Running is good for stress,” the man said. 

“You know,” Magnus said with a smirk, “there are other ways to burn off stress. And they are much more fun, if you ask me.”

The man snorted, a blush spreading across his cheeks. He was adorable. Magnus was becoming more determined with each passing second to climb his tall body like a tree and never let go. 

“I’m Magnus, by the way,” he said, hoping to finally learn the man’s name. 

“I know,” he said instead. “My sister has been gushing about your arrival ever since she found out.”

“Your sister?’

“Izzy.” 

Magnus nodded, finally understanding how he had known about Izzy’s horrible cooking. Looking over the man again, Magnus was surprised he hadn’t noticed the similarity between him and Izzy before. They were both stunning. Magnus wanted to personally thank their parents. “What’s your name?”

“Alec.”

Alec. Magnus liked that. “Is Alec short for something?”

Alec hesitated before speaking. “Alexander. But no one really calls me that.”

“Alexander,” Magnus said with a small smile. “I like it.”

Alec blushed again and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. 

“So, Alexander, does your whole family live here?” Magnus was determined to keep Alec talking. He had a beautiful voice, and Magnus was pretty sure he would never grow tired of hearing it. 

“Yep,” Alec said as they reached Ragnor’s cabin. “But my parents live more in town.” He handed Magnus back the bags and began to walk toward his cottage. 

“Thank you!” Magnus called after him. 

“No problem,” Alec said before disappearing inside with his dog.

Magnus stared at the closed door for several moments and then sighed. He was so, so screwed. 

-

Sunlight streamed through the windows, and Magnus groaned as he rolled to face the other way. He had thrown his covers off in the middle of the night, feeling like he was going to drown in his own sweat. How could Ragnor possibly think he could live like this?

Magnus grabbed his phone, shooting Ragnor a text. "No air? Seriously? Do you want me to die?"

A reply came almost instantly. "I know something that will help you. It’s this thing called fresh air. You should check it out sometime."

Magnus glared at his phone, but couldn’t bring himself to actually be angry. There weren’t many emotions that he felt lately, but anger was definitely one of them. However, it was usually never directed at anyone but himself. He had been a fool. He had been warned time and time again that Camille Belcourt was bad news, but he had dated her anyway. He had given her his heart and soul. And she had destroyed him. 

Reaching down to the floor, Magnus grabbed the blanket and pulled it back on top of him, completely burying himself. He just wanted to lay in the blankets forever. The sound of barking caught his attention and he stood, wrapping the blanket around him, and walked over to the window. 

He spotted Alec down on his own dock, throwing a toy out into the lake for his dog to fetch. The dog leapt off the end of the dock without hesitation, creating a big splash. Magnus watched for a few minutes, letting the moment distract him. And then realizing he was being creepy again, he quickly turned away and made his way into the bathroom to take a shower. 

Feeling refreshed, he shoved his phone in his back pocket and made his way downstairs. He stepped out onto Ragnor’s back deck, taking a deep breath. Alec was now seated on his own deck, nose tucked in a book. His dog lay at his feet, watching Magnus with curious eyes. 

Magnus sat in one of the chairs and decided to give Catarina a call. Talking to her always made things hurt a little less. She was one of his oldest friends, and she knew how to handle his dramatics quite well. She also knew when he was hurting, and how to help him cope with things. 

Magnus groaned when the attempted call dropped for the fifth time. He was debating seeing if he could throw his phone in the lake when a voice interrupted his thoughts. 

“There’s not much service by the lake.” 

He turned to see Alec looking at him over the top of his book, amusement in his eyes. Magnus stood and walked over to the fence that separated their yards, while Alec remained in his chair. 

“I’ve noticed,” Magnus whined. “And Ragnor doesn’t have great service inside, either. Honestly, how do you live out here?” 

Alec frowned slightly. “It’s not so bad.” 

“I just feel so disconnected from people,” Magnus groaned. 

Alec studied him for a long moment before looking back down at his book. “Sometimes, being disconnected from people can be a good thing,” he said, almost too quiet for Magnus to hear. 

Magnus opened his mouth to respond when suddenly Alec’s dog appeared in front of him, paws on the fence, and let out a bark. Magnus stumbled back, tripping over his own feet and falling backwards onto his butt. He looked up to see the dog peering down at him, his head tilted to the side as he looked at Magnus. He heard a snicker and looked up to see Alec was now standing at the fence, petting the dog’s head. 

“Church won’t hurt you,” Alec said, laughter in his eyes. “He was just trying to say hello. You okay?”

Magnus didn’t say a word, climbing to his feet and brushing himself off. He looked back up to see Alec still watching him, clearly waiting for a response. 

“I’m just swell,” Magnus snapped. 

Alec frowned, the laughter in his eyes shifting to uncertainty. “I’m sorry -”

“Just, keep that thing out of my yard, okay?” Magnus said, instantly regretting it. He didn’t even know why he was lashing out at Alec or his dog. Maybe it was the frustration of not being able to talk to Catarina when he really needed to, or maybe it was the frustration of having to be here in the first place. But Alec didn’t deserve Magnus’s anger.

Alec took a small step back, his expression now completely closed off. “Fine. Sorry.”

Magnus sighed. “Alec, I’m -”

“Save it,” Alec said, taking another step back. “I get that you don’t want to be here. I don’t know why you are here, or if you have no choice, or whatever, but there’s no reason to take your anger out on others. I’ve dealt with enough of that in my life, I don’t need it from anyone else.” 

Magnus stumbled for words, but was unable to come up with anything. Alec turned and walked back onto his deck, his dog following. He sat in his chair again and picked up his book. Magnus sighed and turned away, walking back inside. He wanted to go home.


	2. Take My Past & Take My Sense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> Thank you for the comments I've received, I'm glad you seem to be liking this story so far!
> 
> I apologize for any possible typos, I'm in some serious need of some caffeine to get me through the rest of this day. 
> 
> The chapter titles are taken from the song "Heal" by Tom Odell, and I highly recommend taking a moment to listen to it! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Magnus couldn’t stand to sit in that cottage anymore. He gathered up a few of his sketchbooks, shoved them in a bag, and made his way into town for lunch. He hoped to find somewhere with a strong enough connection so he could try to call Catarina again. 

When he arrived in town, it was busy with tourists. He groaned, not in the mood to deal with people. He noticed a small diner along the beach that didn’t seem to be as busy and decided to give it a try. He was seated on the back patio with a view of the water, and he had to admit that it was a nice view. He glared at the water anyway, trying to find a way to blame all of his problems on it. 

“You know, most people look at Lake Michigan in awe, not anger,” a voice said, startling him. His head snapped up to find a waitress standing near him. Her fiery red hair was braided back and her eyes were kind. She was tiny in nearly every way, but Magnus had a feeling her attitude made up for it. “Especially people who are just passing through.” 

“I’m not passing through,” Magnus said, bitterness in his tone. “I’m here for the summer.”

Realization dawned on the girl’s features. “You must be the guy who is staying in Ragnor’s cottage?”

“Magnus,” he supplied, unsure how she knew that information. 

“I’m Clary,” she said as she dropped down into the seat across from him. “There isn’t much that happens around here, so news spreads pretty fast. We have to have something to gossip about.”

“Do you know Ragnor?” Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Not very well,” Clary admitted. “I moved here about three years ago. He’s made a few visits, but I’m sure you know he spends more of his time elsewhere. I met him once when I was hanging out with Alec. Have you met him yet? He lives to the right of Ragnor’s cabin.” 

“Yes,” Magnus forced out. “I’ve met him. I’m afraid I may have made a bad impression.” 

Clary laughed. “Why? Was he grumpy with you? Don’t take it personally, that’s just how he is. I promise he’s actually super soft. Just don’t tell him I told you that. He hated me at first, too. I kind of damaged one of his really nice work cameras by spilling coffee all over it. But I made it up to him when I helped him pick out his service dog.” 

Magnus’s heart dropped into his stomach. “His service dog?”

Clary nodded. “Church. He’s a black german shepherd. I'm sure you've seen him, Alec doesn't go anywhere without him.” 

Magnus resisted the urge to drop his face into his hands. Now he really felt like an asshole. Not only had he taken his anger out on Alec, he had insulted his service dog. Deciding not to comment on it - he didn’t need anyone else in this town hating him - he shifted the conversation. “You said you damaged one of his work cameras? What does he do?”

“He’s a photographer,” Clary said with a warm smile. “It’s nice having someone else who is artistic to talk to, because he sometimes can help me with my projects. I’m an art student, and he always has really good opinions. He’s also never afraid to tell me when something looks like shit.”

Magnus snorted, a smile finding a way to his face. 

“He has a gallery in town,” Clary continued as she stood. “You should check it out sometime. Arrowhead Photography.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“Are you ready to order?” 

Magnus ordered, but he no longer felt hungry. He scrolled through his phone for a few minutes, until he felt the sensation of someone watching him. He turned his head to see two young men seated at a table just a few away from him. One was looking over the menu while another was staring at Magnus. When they made eye contact, the man didn’t look away. 

They were both similar in appearance, so Magnus figured they had to be related. They both had brown hair and brown eyes, and they were both in very good shape. They looked like the type of people who spent most of their time in the gym and then spent the rest of their time bragging about it. 

Magnus slowly turned his head away just as Clary approached his table, setting a plate down in front of him. 

“Do you know who those people are?” he asked, subtly gesturing toward the left.

Clary’s eyes flickered in that direction and her expression darkened as she looked back at Magnus. “That’s Charles and Sammy Ducate.”

“Based on your expression, I’m going to guess that they aren’t friendly?” Magnus said.

Clary sighed and sat in the seat across from Magnus again. “The Ducate family owns most of the buildings around here. Shop owners and restaurants rent the space from them. In a way, they own this town, and they know it. They have three sons, Charles, Sammy, and Noah. They all work for the family business.”

“Okay,” Magnus said, dragging the word out. “Why exactly are they glaring at me?”

Clary hesitated to answer. There was a pained expression in her eyes, as if she was torn about whether to share information with Magnus or not. She looked down for a moment before sighing and looking back at Magnus. When she began to speak, she kept her voice quiet. “They probably heard us talking about Alec. He and Noah used to date.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Clary said as she stood back up. “But that’s all I’m going to say about that. Do you need anything else?” 

Magnus shook his head and she walked away. He glanced back toward the Ducate brothers to see that they were both looking at him now. Magnus sighed and when Clary returned, he asked if he could get his food to go. She nodded in understanding and brought it out in a to-go box a few minutes later. He thanked her, tipped her generously, and quickly left. 

When he returned to the cottage, he tucked his food away in the fridge and made his way into Ragnor’s office. He needed to focus on what he was here for - to get over his heartbreak and find his passion for design again. Camille had stolen his passion from him as if it was a mere object, and that had reflected in his designs lately. But he was ready to try again. 

Magnus slowly began to unpack the boxes, and soon the room was filled with sketchbooks, an easel with a giant sketchbook resting on it, and several different drawing tools and types of fabric. He breathed in the familiar smells, overcome with a small sense of peace. It was small, but it was there. 

He spent the next week locked up in the cottage, focusing on sketches. He did not take a single step outside of the cottage other than the one time when he ordered pizza. No matter what he did, he hated everything he drew. He had lost his touch, and he was growing desperate. He needed to come up with something, anything, soon. 

He groaned as he looked down at the pair of shoes he had just drawn. They were okay, sure, they were even pretty, but they still didn’t feel right. They just didn’t quite work. His usual flare was missing. 

Anger flared up within him and with a frustrated sound, he shoved his sketchbook off the desk. Nothing was working. He couldn’t do anything right. 

Magnus was pulled from his internal battle by the sound of his phone ringing. The constricting his chest loosened slightly when he saw Catarina’s name appear on the screen. He answered it quickly. “Cat, thank god.” 

“Wow, you should greet me like that more often.”

Magnus felt like he could cry at the sound of her voice. He didn’t say anything, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. 

“Magnus?” Catarina asked, her voice softer this time. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t think I’ve been okay for quite some time,” he said quietly. 

“It’s about goddamn time you admitted that,” Catarina exclaimed, and a small chuckle escaped Magnus’s lips. “We’ve all been worried about you, Magnus. You haven’t been...you. I’ve missed you.”

“I don’t think this was the right idea,” Magnus blurted out, gesturing around the cottage even though she couldn’t see him. “Nothing is changing. My designs still look like shit and I’m still fucking miserable.” He sank down into a chair. “I’m so miserable, Cat. And I can’t even tell you what I’m miserable about because it’s not just one thing. It’s a million little things.” 

“Are you trying?” 

“What?” 

“Are you trying to get better?” Catarina repeated. “Are you trying to enjoy yourself there? I know you’re miserable, Magnus. And I hate knowing that you feel this way. But I also haven’t seen you try to change or do anything about it. These feelings aren’t going to just go away, especially if you just continue to sit around and mope.” 

“And how exactly do you think I will make myself feel better?” Magnus snapped. “By coming to some stupid little town with its stupid friendly atmosphere and stupid people? Is that how you think I’m going to get better? Is this where you think I’m going to find happiness again?”

“Well you definitely weren’t finding it here,” Catarina said, keeping her tone calm. “The city was killing you, Magnus. Camille has wounded you. But only you get to decide if you are going to heal. Give Saugatuck a chance. The summer Ragnor and I spent there created some of my fondest memories. I think you’d be surprised how much you would actually like it if you gave it a proper chance.” 

“She broke me, Cat,” he whispered brokenly. “She took my heart, promising to love it, and then stomped on it as if it meant nothing. I thought I was going to marry her one day, I really did. I was too blind to see the real her. And she took advantage of that. And then she broke me. I don't know how to handle it. This is unlike any heartbreak I’ve ever experienced before.” 

“It's okay to grieve and to be sad about the relationship,” Caretina said gently. “I'd be concerned if you weren't. Heartbreak is awful. It brings along nothing but pain, and it can leave you feeling hopeless. I know you're hurting, Magnus, and it kills me to see you this way. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but one day you will realize that you are better off without her. She doesn't deserve someone as amazing as you.”

Magnus sighed, running a hand through his hair as tears swelled in his eyes. “I’m sorry for snapping,” he said softly. “I’ve been doing that a lot lately.” 

“It’s better than when you weren’t feeling anything at all,” Catarina said. “Give Saugatuck two more weeks. If you are still miserable by then, you can come home.” 

“Promise?” 

Catarina sighed. “Yes, Magnus. I promise.” 

“See you in two weeks,” Magnus said, ignoring her as she sighed again, and hung up the phone. 

He slowly stood, picking up his thrown sketchbook and setting it back on the desk. He stared down at the sketch for a few moments before turning on his heel and walking out of the office. He stepped into the kitchen and walked over to the large windows, gazing out across the lake, which was painted in all the colors of a sunset as night began to fall. Two more weeks. He could do this. 

He glanced over toward Alec’s cottage. Alec was seated on the porch steps, elbows resting on his knees as he stroked Church’s fur. Church was seated at the bottom of the steps, facing Alec. Every now and then, Church would lean forward and lick Alec’s face. 

Alec was dressed in a black sweatshirt that was at least two sizes too big, the sleeves so long that they hung over his hands. Magnus watched as Alec wiped at his face with one sleeve, and it was in that moment that Magnus realized Alec was crying. 

Magnus watched as Church inched closer to Alec, squeezing his way between Alec’s knees and resting his head on Alec’s thigh. A small smile appeared on Alec’s face as he continued to stroke Church’s fur. 

Magnus felt as though he was intruding on a special moment and stepped away from the glass. He walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of wine. He didn't bother grabbing a glass, taking the entire bottle with him into the living room. He dropped down onto the couch and wrapped a blanket around him before turning the TV on. He settled on a random chick flick and drew his knees to his chest, taking a swig from the wine bottle every now and then. 

Alcohol was a temporary cure to a long term problem. Magnus knew that it wouldn't cure anything, but it gave him the opportunity of momentarily forgetting his problems. It numbed him, and sometimes feeling nothing was better than feeling pain. 

He was about to take another swig when there was a knock on the door. He made no movement to answer, glaring at the door and willing the person to go away. 

“Magnus!” a voice called through the door. “I know you're in there! I can hear you watching The Notebook!”

Izzy. 

Magnus sighed and set the wine bottle down on the small table by the couch before standing and making his way toward the door. He pulled it open to see Izzy standing there with a big smile on her face. Magnus didn't say anything, simply raising his eyebrows. 

“Jace is having a bonfire,” she said, gesturing down the street. “I came down to get Alec, and was wondering if you wanted to come?” 

Magnus glanced beyond her to see Alec standing at the edge of the driveway, Church sitting at his feet. Alec was looking anywhere but at Magnus. 

Magnus leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. “No thanks,” he said quietly. “I think I'd rather sit here and wallow in my own self pity.” 

Izzy furrowed her eyebrows. “Is everything okay?” 

Magnus’s gaze drifted back to Alec, who was wringing his hands nervously as he stood there. Church nudged his hands with his nose, and Alec stopped his movements, tangling his fingers in his fur instead. 

Magnus filled with guilt again at the sight. He sighed inwardly, trying to force himself to come up with a believable excuse. “I'm working on a new design. I'd really rather not stop now.” 

“And your design process includes drinking cheap wine and watching chick flicks?” Izzy asked, raising an eyebrow, as she peered into the house behind Magnus. 

Magnus scoffed, offended. “I do not drink cheap wine.” 

Izzy rolled her eyes, but her expression was playful. “You sure you don't want to come?” 

“Yeah,” Magnus said, forcing a smile. “But thank you for thinking of me.” 

Izzy pressed her lips together, nodding in acceptance. “Okay. Goodnight, Magnus.” 

She gave him one last look before turning and making her way to where Alec waited. Alec looked over her head, his eyes meeting Magnus’s for a second, some sort of question in his eyes. He looked back down at Izzy as she said something, and then the two of them turned and began walking down the street, Church a couple paces ahead. 

Magnus moved to shut the door and then paused. Since when did he let one person stop him from having fun? And since when did he turn down a chance to mingle? The old, not-heartbroken Magnus would never do that. 

“Izzy!” Magnus called. “Wait up!” 

Izzy spun to look at him, a big smile on her face. “Yeah?” 

“I'm coming. Just give me a second.” 

Her smile widened, and she clapped excitedly. Alec didn't react, absentmindedly petting Church’s head. 

Magnus ducked back inside, quickly turning the TV off and tucking the wine away. He slipped on a pair of shoes and stepped out onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind him and locking it. 

Izzy beamed at him as he reached them. Alec offered him a small, guarded smile before turning and leading the way toward Jace’s. 

They didn't bother going inside, Alec walking around the house through the yard instead. The fire was already going, and Magnus recognized Jace and Clary seated beside each other on a log. 

Two more people were seated on another log, a boy with glasses and a huge smile, and a girl with smooth, brown skin and eyes filled with a mixture of kindness and mischief. There was one seat left next to the boy with glasses, and then one remaining empty log. 

“Magnus, you came!” Clary said excitedly while Jace smiled at him. 

“It took a little convincing,” Izzy said, gesturing toward Magnus. “But I knew we were too irresistible for him.” 

Izzy walked over to the boy with glasses, leaning down and kissing his cheek before sitting beside him. Alec took a seat on the empty log and after a moment of hesitation, Magnus slowly sat beside him. Church sat on the ground between the two of them, resting his head in Alec’s lap. 

Izzy introduced the boy in glasses as her fiancé, Simon. Or Sheldon. Something like that. Just listening to him talk was exhausting, he was a mixture of exclamations and excited gestures. 

“ - and then he shoved it in!” he exclaimed, gesturing with his hands as he talked about someone at his work trying to fix a computer. “I mean, who does that? You never just shove it in! You have to be delicate, you know?” 

“Simon,” Alec said, sounding almost pained, “I'm sure that sounded better in your head, but please never say that again.” 

Simon furrowed his eyebrows as he thought over what he had just said. Magnus found himself staring at Alec, smiling, while Jace and Mia, who had introduced herself as the coolest one there, broke into fits of laughter. 

Simon pressed his lips together, a blush spreading across his cheeks, once he realized what he had said. 

“Simon, I love you,” Mia said, laughing, “but you are a total trainwreck.” 

“Why do you and Alec always team up on me?” Simon demanded, throwing his arms up in frustration. 

“Easy target,” Alec said with a shrug, a smile tugging on his lips. 

“Alright, big brother,” Izzy said, wrapping her arm Simon’s back as Alec took a sip of his drink. “Pick on someone your own size.” 

“Oh, no one is his size,” Jace said, a wicked grin on his face. “Trust me, I've seen it.” 

Alec choked on his drink, looking at Jace with wide eyes as his face turned red. “Jace, what the fuck?”

“It's true,” Mia said with a shrug. 

Alec quickly turned to her. “Mia!” 

Magnus felt laughter bubble in his throat, and couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips as everyone else laughed. 

“I hate you all,” Alec deadpanned. 

Eventually, Jace and Clary drifted into their own conversation, murmuring things quietly to each other, while Izzy, Simon, and Mia were in a heated argument about the best way to make s'mores. 

Alec was watching them with a fond smile on his face. Church shifted at his feet, inching closer to Magnus and nudging his hand. Magnus hesitated before petting his head. He glanced up to see Alec watching them, his eyes on Magnus’s hand. 

“I'm sorry about what I said,” Magnus blurted out, and Alec’s eyes snapped up to look at him. “I took my frustration out on you, and on Church. I'm sorry.” 

Alec studied him for a moment before allowing a small smile. “It's not me you need to apologize to.” 

Magnus furrowed his eyes in confusion. Alec’s smile grew as he looked back down at Church. Magnus followed his gaze to find Church looking up at him, almost expectantly. He looked back up at Alec. 

“Excuse me?” 

Alec shrugged, a teasing light in his eyes. “How else am I supposed to know if you are sincere?” 

Magnus sighed and lowered himself to his knees in front of Church. “I'm sorry, Church,” he said, thankful that everyone else was too caught up in their conversations to witness this. “I’m sorry for yelling...and I'm sorry for calling you a thing.” 

He looked up at Alec to see he was full on smirking now, laughter in his eyes. Church lunged forward, licking Magnus’s face. Magnus scrunched his nose and sat back up on the log quickly, wiping at his face. 

“That means you're forgiven,” Alec said, smirk still on his face. 

“I bet you just loved every second of that, didn't you?” Magnus demanded. 

“Maybe a little,” Alec said, laughter in his voice. 

Magnus would apologize to Church one hundred more times if it meant that Alec always sounded like that. There was a light in his eyes that Magnus had extinguished when he had yelled. He never wanted to see that light leave Alec’s eyes ever again. 

“Just accept it, Jace,” Mia said, pulling Magnus from his thoughts. “I’m Alec’s best friend.” 

Jace looked absolutely horrified at the idea, leaning forward. “No way in hell. I’m his best friend. We share a bond that no one else can compare to. Right, Alec? ”

“Jace,” Alec said, throwing an exasperated look in Jace’s direction. “You’re my brother.” 

“Not biologically!” Jace argued, pointing a finger at Alec. “So that makes us best friends. Are you trying to say that you pick Mia over me?” 

Alec rolled his eyes. “I don’t care about biology, Jace. You’re adopted into this family, that makes you my brother. Nothing changes that.” 

Magnus noticed Jace’s small smile at that. It was obvious that Jace and Alec were extremely close. It was also obvious by the way that Jace seemed to always have one eye on Alec that he was very, very protective of him. 

“But I’m also your best friend, right?” Jace persisted. 

This time, Mia rolled her eyes. “Just face it, Jace. I’m cooler than you, I’m prettier than you, and I could kick your ass in poker any day. I’m obviously his favorite. There’s no point denying it.” 

Jace gestured toward Alec, his eyes wide. “Tell her she’s wrong!” 

Alec groaned. “If I say she’s wrong, will you leave me alone?” 

Jace gasped, pretending to be hurt. “I thought we had something special, Alec.” 

Alec and Jace stared at each other for several moments before Jace broke, laughter erupting from his lips. Magnus found himself once again joining in the laughter, and something warm settled in his chest. 

Church stood and barked at Alec, and everyone quieted. Alec ruffled his fur with his hand. “I'm going to get going,” he said, standing up. “Church is demanding dinner.” 

Magnus noticed a brief flash of relief in Jace’s eyes at the realization that Church was just hungry and not sensing a problem with Alec. Jace looked ready to stand to walk Alec home, but Magnus quickly cut in. 

“I'm going to head home, too,” Magnus said as he stood. “Thank you for having me.” 

Their walk back was silent other than the sound of Church’s panting as he eagerly lead the way home. Magnus glanced up toward the sky, eyes widening. He had never seen the stars so clearly. It was as if he could see every single one - like he was looking into infinity. He could feel Alec’s eyes on him, and lowered his head to see Alec watching him with a curious expression. 

“I've never seen so many stars,” Magnus breathed out, looking back toward the sky. 

“A lot of people believe that looking at the stars can bring your mind peace,” Alec said quietly. 

Magnus pulled his gaze away from the stars again to look at Alec. “Do you believe that?” 

“I do,” Alec said, sounding so sure. Magnus wished he could so feel sure about something again. 

They reached Alec’s cottage, and Church eagerly ran onto the porch. When Alec didn’t immediately follow, he turned and barked at Alec expectantly. 

Alec smiled. “Alright, alright. I’m coming.” He looked back at Magnus. “You good? Or are you going to go wallow in your self pity some more?” 

Magnus groaned, running a hand over his face. “You heard that?” 

“You’re not exactly quiet,” Alec said, a small smile on his face. His expression turned more serious. “I don’t know what you’re going through, but only you can decide if you want to heal.” 

Magnus’s heart clenched. “A good friend of mine said something like that earlier,” he forced out, voice cracking slightly. “I think it’s time I start listening to the advice people give me.”

Alec nodded, seeming satisfied with Magnus’s response. “Goodnight, Magnus,” he said softly before turning and making his way up the driveway.

“Goodnight, Alexander,” Magnus called after him. 

Alec looked over his shoulder, flashing a blinding smile at Magnus before disappearing inside. Magnus felt more warmth settle in his chest. Maybe he wasn’t quite ready to go home yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter you'll learn a lot more about what happened with Camille, and why exactly Alec has a service dog. Hmmm ;)
> 
> Feel free to talk to me (or stalk, if that's what you prefer) on twitter: @ReneeWritesx


	3. Take a Heart & Take a Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies,
> 
> Thank you all so much for the love this story has been receiving! It makes my day to see that you guys are loving it enough to leave such kind comments. So without further ado, the next chapter...

When Magnus woke the next morning, he smiled as sunlight danced across the sheets. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, running a hand through his hair, before walking over to the window. The lake was perfectly still, but Magnus could see clouds swelling in the distance. 

Magnus’s eyes drifted over to Alec’s yard, but it was empty. Turning away from the window, he tried to bite down his disappointment as he made his way downstairs. He ate his breakfast in silence, holding the handle to his coffee mug tightly. When he was done, he kept the mug in his grip and wandered into the office. 

It was like the sketchbooks were mocking him. He wanted nothing more than to sit down and sketch designs, but he felt as though his hands would be burned if he dare picked up a pencil. He sighed and turned his back on the office, walking back upstairs. 

After sitting on the bed with the blanket wrapped around him for about fifteen minutes, Magnus decided enough was enough. He quickly changed into a pair of ripped jeans that hugged him just right and a red, button-up t-shirt, leaving the top few buttons undone. He put a little bit of makeup on for the first time since he had arrived in Saugatuck and made his way downstairs, hurrying out of the cottage. He was not spending another day attempting to lock himself away from the outside world. 

He walked toward town, a little spring in his step, determined to have a good day. He drifted in and out of the shops, surprised that a small smile seemed to have found a permanent resting place on his face. Every shop was intricately unique, filled with a variety of items. 

Magnus walked down the sidewalk, two small bags containing gifts for Catarina, Ragnor, and Raphael dangling from his hands as he hummed quietly to himself. A familiar bark caught his attention, and he turned to see Church seated in the doorway to a shop. Magnus tilted his head back to read the sign that hung over the door. 

Arrowhead Photography. 

It was Alec’s gallery. Magnus scratched behind Church’s ears, earning a happy grunt from the dog, before stepping inside. He blinked a few times, giving his eyes a chance to adjust to the sudden lack of sunlight. 

He was standing in a square room with a door toward the back. The walls were painted a slate gray, decorated with framed pictures that were neatly hung. There were tables set around the edges, pressed up against the wall, that were covered with stacks of photos individually wrapped in clear paper to protect them. Three, tall easels sat in the center with large photographs resting on them for display. Toward the back was a long desk, a computer, cash register, and a few cameras resting on its surface. No one else was in the room, but he could hear the sound of music coming from the closed door behind the desk. 

Magnus began to slowly make his way around the room, admiring the pictures. He was greeted with the sight of the lake during all the seasons, enveloped in beautiful autumn leaves in some while consumed with raging snow in others. Some focused on the lake itself, while others showed the beautiful landscape that surrounded it. White beaches, thick trees, and stunning sunsets. Alec was truly gifted.

Magnus walked over to the easels, looking at the first one. It was a photo of Church running on the beach. The details were exquisite, all the way down to the water droplets on his fur. Magnus felt something nudge his leg and he looked down to see Church standing behind him. 

“Is that you?” Magnus said, pointing at the picture before petting Church’s head. Church barked happily in response, and Magnus heard the sound of someone moving behind the closed door. 

Magnus moved onto the next picture and found himself frozen in place. It was an aerial view of Saugatuck at sunset. The lake danced with the extravagant colors, the boats in the harbor reflecting a range of oranges, yellows, and pinks. The lights of the shops and restaurants were on, illuminating the town in a soft, welcoming glow. It was beautiful.

Magnus had seen several aerial pictures of New York City, but none made him feel quite like this one did. More warmth settled in his chest with a crack, as if forcing its way into his guarded heart. 

Staring at the photograph, it was like the dam that Magnus had built around his heart burst open. He was aware of the tears running down his cheeks, and his shoulders shook from silent sobs. Church whined and nudged at his hand. 

The door in the back opened and Alec stepped out. He started to smile when he saw Magnus, but it quickly disappeared when he saw the state that Magnus was in. Alec walked out from behind the desk and past Magnus, closing the door to the gallery and putting up the closed sign. He then turned to face Magnus, taking a careful step toward him. 

“Are you okay?” 

“This photo is beautiful,” Magnus said, on the verge of hysterics, as he gestured toward it. 

“Thank you?” Alec said, sounding unsure as he looked at Magnus warily. 

“It’s just really, really great,” Magnus exclaimed, voice rising an octave. He was on the verge of panicking. 

He was suddenly consumed by all of the emotions that he had tried for months to repress, and he didn’t know how to handle it. Magnus began to gulp in breaths of air, attempting to calm himself but only making it worse. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath, and more tears leaked from his eyes.

“Magnus - “

“I'm okay,” Magnus said quickly, angrily wiping at his eyes. “I'm fine.” 

“No, you're not,” Alec said gently.

There was a sudden, booming crack of thunder, and Magnus noticed the way Alec jumped slightly and Church was immediately at his side. 

Magnus pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. “Of course it's going to rain,” he muttered as he still attempted to calm himself down. 

“Did you walk here?” Alec asked. 

Magnus nodded, not removing his hands from his face. He could hear Alec moving around, and he pulled his hands away to see Alec shutting the computer down and putting a few things away. He disappeared through the back door for a moment before returning with a jacket on and keys in his hand. 

“Come on,” he said softly. “I'll give you a ride.” 

He placed a hand on Magnus’s shoulder, gently guiding him toward the back door. They stepped through and Magnus realized it was an office. There was another door labeled “dark room” where Alec must develop his film, and then another door that led outside. 

They stepped outside and Alec quickly led him toward a black truck as the first rain drops began to fall. Magnus climbed into the passenger seat and continued to try to keep his tears under control. But they just wouldn't stop. 

“Cry it out,” Alec said as began to drive, Church seated between them. “Stop holding it in and just let yourself cry. You'll feel better after.” 

“How is crying supposed to make me feel better?” Magnus exclaimed through his tears and hiccuping breaths. “God, I'm making such a fool of myself. Today was going so good and now I'm sobbing hysterically in front of the cute neighbor. What the hell is wrong with me?” 

He noticed a faint blush spread over Alec’s face. They drove in silence for a few moments, other than the sound of Magnus crying, before Alec spoke again. 

“There's nothing wrong with you,” Alec said. “You're clearly hurt. There's nothing wrong with having feelings.” 

“But I'm Magnus Bane!” Magnus suddenly shouted, too many different emotions consuming him for him to control his outbursts. “I'm a fashion designer from New York! I'm supposed to convey my emotions in my designs! That's what artists do! But I can't even manage to do that. If I was in New York right now, the paparazzi would be having a field day and my agent would be ready to kill me. I've never felt like this before and I don't know what to do!” 

Alec pulled into his driveway and parked, but neither of them showed signs of moving. 

“I can't believe all it took was one girl to make me fall apart,” Magnus whispered, staring out the windshield as rain slammed against it. 

“Magnus - “

“Alec, stop,” Magnus snapped. “Please don't try to be all noble and help me with this. I don't deserve your help. Especially after the way I treated you and your dog - ”

“You made one comment, Magnus.” 

“Yeah, but Church - Church is your service dog,” Magnus forced out, turning to look at Alec. “I feel like such an asshole.” 

“Magnus, it’s fine - ”

“Stop saying that it's fine, Alec! Or that it's okay, or that everything is going to be okay! I am a mess. I don't deserve you being nice to me. You barely even know me. I brought this upon myself.” 

“I find that hard to believe,” Alec said, his grip on the steering wheel tight. 

“Oh but I did,” Magnus said, letting out a hysterical chuckle as he gestured toward himself. “Because I'm Magnus Bane and I'm too good to take advice from anyone! I don't listen to people, and in the end I either hurt myself or I hurt others. So many people warned me about her, but I didn't listen. And now look at me!” 

Alec did look at him. He looked at him with a guarded expression, but softness in his eyes. He could see Magnus’s vulnerability, and that Magnus clearly didn’t like the feeling or know how to deal with it. 

Magnus scrambled to open the passenger door and hopped out in the pouring rain. Alec hurried after him while Church ran to wait on the front porch. 

“Magnus, there’s nothing wrong with how you are feeling right now!” he shouted over the rain. 

Magnus spun to look at him. “I deserve this! I deserve to be miserable!” 

“No one deserves whatever that girl put you through,” Alec said, stepping closer to Magnus. 

They were both soaked now, Alec’s hair plastered to his face. Somehow, Magnus thought he looked even more beautiful. 

“Come inside with me,” Alec said gently. “I’ll make some hot chocolate and we can watch the storm in my sunroom. And you can tell me about what happened, if you want. Or we can talk about something completely different. Talking, no matter what it’s about, helps.” 

Magnus hesitated. 

Alec carefully reached toward him, gently grabbing his forearm. “Come on. You’re going to get sick if we stay out in the rain.” 

Magnus let Alec guide him toward his cottage. They stepped inside, and Magnus was instantly greeted by warmth. Alec’s home was much more open than Ragnor’s. Through the entryway was a large living room, filled with black leather couches, bookshelves crammed with books, and a TV mounted above a stone fireplace. 

There was a staircase to the right, and Magnus could see the kitchen just past the living room, partially blocked from view by a wall that stretched across half of the living room. 

“Come on,” Alec said softly. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes.”

“At least take me on a date first,” Magnus said, but his voice was weak. 

Alec smiled anyway. He led the way up the stairs and into a bedroom. Magnus looked around while Alec stepped into the closet. Alec’s room was painted a grayish-blue, and his furniture was black. His bed sheets were gray, and there was a dog bed in the corner, but it didn’t look like Church ever actually used it. 

Church confirmed his suspicions by hopping up onto the Alec’s bed and laying down, watching them with curious eyes. Alec also had a large window in his room and Magnus walked over to it, watching as the storm raged on over the lake, waves unlike anything Magnus had seen during his time in Michigan crashing onto the shore. 

Alec’s voice snapped Magnus out of his thoughts. “I know this isn’t anything like you’d normally wear,” he said, holding up a navy blue sweater and a pair of black sweatpants, “but it’s all I really have.” 

Normally, Magnus would have sniffed in disdain at the sight of the worn-out clothes and cracked a joke, but instead he accepted them gratefully. 

“The bathroom is through there,” Alec said and Magnus nodded. 

He stepped into the bathroom and froze as he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess, flattened against his head, and he had smears of makeup running down his cheeks. Magnus sighed, stripping off his soaked clothes and using his shirt to wipe off the make up. He changed into Alec’s clothes, smiling slightly at their warmth. 

The sweater was just a little too big, mainly in the sleeves. While Magnus wasn’t as tall as Alec, they both had broad shoulders. The pants were a different story. Magnus had to roll the waistband a few times to stop them from slipping down, and he had to be careful not to trip at the extra length gathered around his feet as he stepped out of the bathroom. 

He could hear the sound of Alec in the kitchen downstairs, and slowly made his way down. Alec had changed, too, and was now dressed in a gray sweatshirt, with “Lightwood” written across the back in black letters, and a pair of black sweatpants, much like the ones Magnus was wearing. Church was seated at his feet, watching him intently.

Magnus remained quiet, leaning against the entryway to the kitchen and watching as Alec made hot chocolate. Alec’s kitchen was a bright contrast to his living room. The cabinets were all painted white, and the walls were painted a light blue. His granite counter top was a mixture of light grays and white. Alec turned around, spotting Magnus. 

He stepped forward, reaching out a hand. “Give me your clothes. I’ll stick them in the dryer.”

Magnus quickly pulled them back. “These can’t go in the dryer, Alexander. You’ll ruin them.” 

Alec raised an eyebrow, but clearly decided not to comment on that. “Alright. We can hang them up in the sunroom. Do you want marshmallows in your hot chocolate?”

Magnus blinked. If he wasn’t feeling so emotional, he probably would have laughed. Alec, who was one of the most reserved and guarded people he had ever met and was also quite intimidating in appearance sometimes, was asking him if he wanted marshmallows in his hot chocolate. 

Magnus realized Alec was still looking at him expectantly. “It would be a crime not to have marshmallows.” 

Alec smiled as he added marshmallows to Magnus’s mug. “Good answer.” 

Alec picked both mugs up and gestured for Magnus to follow him with a jerk of his head. Magnus followed as Alec led the way through a doorway into the sunroom. Magnus had seen the room from the outside since it was entirely composed of windows, but it was even more brilliant from the inside. 

There was a lot of photography equipment on the far side of the long room, which stretched the length of the entire house. Several plants sat in a row on the floor, pushed up next to the windows. It smelled wonderful, a mixture of lavender and mint. On one side of the room, Alec had two small couches, some chairs, and a few beanbag chairs. Magnus could easily picture everyone hanging out at Alec’s house in this room.

Alec led him over to one of the couches, and Magnus sank down into the cushions while Alec hung his clothes over the edge of a wooden chair. Part of him wished the cushions would swallow him up. They sat in silence for several moments, watching the storm. 

Thunder would echo across the lake every now and then, and the rain slammed relentlessly against the glass ceiling. Alec had turned on a few dim lights, but otherwise the only light source was from the lightning that occasionally flashed across the sky.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Alec asked quietly, his voice cutting through their silence. 

Magnus sighed before shifting slightly to face Alec. Church lay between them, his head resting in Alec’s lap. “I’m not sure where to start.” 

“What was her name?” Alec asked. 

Magnus’s grip on his mug tightened, but he forced himself to take a deep breath. “Camille.” And then once he had spoken her name, it was like a dam had broken and words began to flow freely from his mouth before he could stop them. “She’s a supermodel, and she was a fan of my work. We started working collaboratively. She’s very well known in the fashion industry, and I knew that the fact that she wanted to represent my brand was a huge deal. But business quickly turned to pleasure. And I don’t mean random hookups, I genuinely cared for her. We began seeing each other about a month after we first met. She was strong-minded and independent, which was something I admired. We dated for a little over three years. Everything was...great. I saw myself marrying her. I would have done anything, and I mean anything, for her. I was so caught up in her, that my work had been put on the backburner. My friends tried to make me realize how much she was controlling my life, but I didn’t listen to them. They had tried to warn me about her from the very beginning, but I didn’t listen then, either.” 

Magnus broke off, staring down at his hot chocolate for a moment. He sighed and then began to speak again, his voice thick. “I see it now, how controlling she was. She limited my time with my friends, but never made it seem like it was because of her. She gave her opinions on my designs, and would convince me to change things, even if I didn’t necessarily like what she was suggesting. She had me wrapped around her finger and I was totally blind to it.”

Magnus risked a glance up at Alec. Alec was watching him intently, listening to his every word. His expression was calm, clearly trying not to react too much. His eyes were soft, and there was a hint of anger there, too. 

“One night,” Magnus continued, his voice barely above a whisper, “I had a romantic dinner planned. I was going to propose. I had everything planned down to the very last detail. The ring was beautiful. I still have it, actually - ” 

“You still have the ring?” Alec blurted out, eyes wide. 

“You don’t even know what happened yet,” Magnus said defensively. 

Alec hesitated before nodding once, waiting for Magnus to continue. 

“I got off work early,” Magnus said. “I wanted to surprise her. When I got back to our apartment, she wasn’t alone. She was packing up some of her stuff, and a guy was helping her. I was so confused. Turns out that she had been seeing this guy behind my back for over a year, and she was leaving me for him. She wasn’t even going to say goodbye, she was just going to leave a note. It - ” Magnus broke off, biting down a sob. “It was so humiliating. I was ready to give her everything, and she threw it all back in my face like it meant nothing.” 

Alec was quiet for a few moments, his eyebrows pinched together. “Why did you keep the ring?” he asked quietly. 

Magnus sighed. “I don’t know. I think a part of me hoped she would come back to me.”

“Magnus,” Alec said, his tone soft but also stern. “You deserve so much better than her. You don’t want her to come back.” 

Magnus squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “I know,” he gasped out as he opened his eyes and they began to run down his cheeks anyway. “It’s just hard, when you love someone so much and then they don’t turn out to be at all who you thought they were.” 

Something flashed in Alec’s eyes, but it was gone before Magnus could really notice. 

“Sorry to lay all of this on you,” Magnus said, wiping at his eyes as he looked back down at his mug. “I’m sure you’re the one usually breaking hearts, huh?”

Alec didn’t say anything, and Magnus slowly pulled his gaze away from his mug to look at him. Alec was frowning deeply, and his eyes had a far away look in them as he stared out at the storm, as if he was reliving a horrible memory. Magnus never wanted to see that kind of pain in his eyes ever again. 

“Not really,” Alec finally said, dragging his eyes away from the windows to look at Magnus. “My last relationship...didn’t end well.”

“Did they break your heart, too?” Magnus asked with a bitter laugh, looking back down. 

“No,” Alec said quietly, almost too quiet for Magnus to hear over the rain. “But he broke my wrist.”

Magnus’s head snapped up to look at him, eyes wide and mouth parted in shock. 

“Twice,” Alec added in a whisper, holding up two fingers, his hand trembling slightly. He let out a small sigh. “And my ankle. He broke that once, too.” 

“Alec…” Magnus said softly, unable to think of any words to say. “I didn’t - I can’t - ”

“It’s kind of my fault though, you know?” Alec continued, voice cracking slightly. “Everything was always my fault. The first time he hit me, that should have been the end of it. I should have left. But I didn’t.” 

“Alec,” Magnus said sternly, cutting in. “None, absolutely none of that, is your fault. You are the victim.” 

“And so are you,” Alec said sharply, looking at Magnus. “What Camille did to you, Magnus, you didn’t deserve that. No one deserves to have their heart ripped out like that, especially when you gave it so willingly.” 

Magnus felt the last of his reserve crumble as he set his mug down on the table in front of them before putting his head in his hands, letting the tears fall freely, no longer fighting them. He felt a small pressure on his back and realized that Alec was rubbing gentle circles with his hand. 

Church whined from where he sat between them, licking at Magnus’s hands. Magnus pulled his hands away from his face to pet him. He looked over at Alec, who had pulled his hand back and was now absentmindedly wringing his fingers. 

“Why didn’t you leave?” Magnus asked, and Alec looked at him sharply. “When Noah hit you, why didn’t you leave?” 

“How did you know about Noah?” Alec demanded. 

“Clary mentioned that you dated, so I assumed,” Magnus said softly. 

For a moment, Alec looked angry. But then the anger faded and his shoulders sagged. “When I came out to my parents, they weren’t exactly...thrilled. It took them some time, but they slowly came around. They still aren’t exactly happy about it, but they’ve toned their looks of disappointment down to a minimum. My dad is the mayor of Saugatuck, and him and my mother have a close relationship with the Ducates. Noah and I met at one of their lunch parties.”

Church had nearly climbed halfway into Alec’s lap at this point. He paused, smiling slightly at him as he scratched behind his ears. Then he continued. 

“We really hit it off,” Alec said. “And my parents approved, which made everything seem even better. The first year and a half of our relationship was great. Really, really great. I was so happy. We were happy. And then one night, he got really drunk at one of my dad’s campaign parties. I managed to get him out of there before anyone noticed, and took him home. And then he just snapped. He accused me of being embarrassed of him and of wanting to leave him. He was so drunk and I was just trying to calm him down. He started throwing things. I - I didn’t know what to do. And then he hit me.” 

Alec stopped talking, burying his fingers deeper into Church’s fur. 

“Alec…”

“I blamed it on the alcohol,” Alec said, suddenly starting again. “He had never been violent with me before, so I assumed that was it. He apologized the next morning. He apologized for the next week, really. So I forgave him. But then it just got worse. He made threats. I...I was too scared to leave.” 

“But you did eventually leave?” Magnus forced out, the sentence coming out more as a question.

“I stayed with him for two more years,” Alec admitted quietly, and Magnus’s eyes widened. “Jace and Izzy had both become suspicious after a few different trips to the hospital. But I was too embarrassed to tell them. I’m the big brother. I’m supposed to worry about and protect them. Not the other way around. So I made them believe that they were work accidents, that I had fallen while trying to take pictures.”

Alec looked back out the window, watching the storm. “But then he proposed and I began to really panic. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with him. I said yes, because I didn’t know what to do. I was scared of what he would do if I said no. The next day, we went to tell my parents. My mom was so happy. I hadn’t seen her look that happy in a long time. She said she was proud of me, and that was something I never thought I would hear from her. For a brief moment, I was actually going to marry him. I tried convincing myself that maybe if we got married, things would get better.” 

Before he realized what he was doing, Magnus reached his hand out. He placed it on top of Alec’s trembling one, giving it a gentle squeeze. Alec blinked at him for a moment, before offering him a tentative smile. It quickly disappeared as he continued speaking. 

“One night...it was really bad,” he forced out, visibly shuddering. “The next morning, when he left for work, I went to my parents. I told them everything.” 

Alec stopped talking, clamping his mouth shut. Magnus felt dread fill him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the rest of the story. 

“My mom asked me to stay with him until my dad’s election was over, and then she showed me how to cover my bruises with makeup.” 

Magnus took a sharp intake of breath. Alec leaned back against the couch, drawing his knees to his chest. Church whined, desperately trying to get closer to Alec. 

“So I did,” Alec said, voice sounding as if his mind was far away. “Well, I tried to. Jace came over one day, and he walked in on the middle of us fighting. He saw Noah hit me. I’ve never seen Jace so angry. I had to pull him off of Noah and hold him back. I think he would have killed him otherwise. Luckily, Noah didn’t press charges. But only because Jace threatened that I would do the same.” 

“Did you?” Magnus asked, voice trembling. “Did you press charges?” 

“No,” Alec admitted quietly. 

Magnus didn’t say anything further. He didn’t know what to say. He watched Alec, who was running his hands through Church’s fur while staring out at the storm again. 

“Is that why you have Church?” Magnus asked softly, almost too scared to ask anything else. 

Alec nodded, smiling slightly as Church perked up at the mention of his name. “Yeah. I, uh, I developed really bad anxiety when I was with Noah. Church helps. It was Clary’s idea.” 

It had quieted down in the sunroom now. The rain wasn’t coming down as hard, having waned off into a gentle sprinkle. The clouds weren’t as angry looking either, and Magnus could see blue sky in the distance. 

“I know everything seems horrible for you right now, Magnus,” Alec said, regaining Magnus’s attention. “But things will get better. And you are better off without her.” 

Magnus stared at Alec for several moments. Alec offered him a warm smile, and his eyes were filled with understanding. Church shifted to Alec’s other side, curling up next to him at the end of the couch. Alec slid down slightly, propping his legs up on the table in front of them. Magnus grabbed the pillow from behind him and placed it against Alec’s side before laying down. He felt Alec stiffen, and he momentarily wondered if he had overstepped. But then Alec relaxed and began to run his fingers through Magnus’s hair. 

Magnus sighed, feeling a small sense of peace for the first time in a long time. They laid there quietly, watching as the colors of the remaining clouds shifted to warm colors as the sun began to slowly set. 

For the first time since Camille left him, Magnus felt like maybe he would find happiness again. And maybe, just maybe, he had already found it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently working on chapter four and depending on how that goes, this MIGHT turn out to be five chapters rather than four. We shall see! 
> 
> Again, thank you so much for all of your lovely comments!
> 
> Stalk me on twitter: ReneeWritesx


	4. And Tell Me Some Things Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> WOW. Thank you all sooo much for all of your kind and encouraging comments. You've really blown me away. 
> 
> A lot of you have been asking about the length of this fic, and I'll talk more about that in the end notes. Until then, enjoy this chapter! :)

Somehow, spending the evenings watching the sunset from Alec’s sunroom became an everyday occurrence for him and Magnus. Sometime they were joined by others, usually Jace or Mia, but it was normally just the two of them. 

A week had passed since he and Alec had their talk. One more week until Catarina had said he could come home. Normally, he’d feel ecstatic at the thought. But now, as he not so subtly watched Alec, he wasn't so sure. 

Alec was currently messing around with one of his cameras, while Magnus was sprawled in one of the bean bag chairs with a sketchbook in his lap. Alec’s eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as he worked, and Magnus just couldn't keep his eyes off of him. 

“Unless your design somehow has my face on it, I think your focus is elsewhere,” Alec said, a smile on his face as he looked away from his camera to meet Magnus’s gaze. 

“I’ll admit you're irresistible, darling,” Magnus said, looking back down at his sketchbook. “But I don't think people would appreciate a very expensive shirt with your face on it.” 

Alec laughed and stood, making his way over. He stopped behind where Magnus was seated, crouching down and leaning over his shoulder to look at the shirt Magnus was currently attempting to draw. 

Magnus suppressed a shiver as Alec’s breath brushed his ear. Magnus looked down at his sketch, frowning slightly. 

He had drawn a silky, button-up shirt that hung just below the hips. It was long sleeved with a swirly design on the cuffs and collar. It had pockets on each side of the chest. Each pocket had a zipper overtop. The pockets had the same design on them as the cuffs and collar. The rest of the shirt was detailed with thin, vertical lines. 

“I like it,” Magnus said, tilting his head to the side as he looked at it. “But I don't love it. Something's off.” 

He tilted his head back to look at Alec, who was looking at the sketch with a curious expression. 

“Maybe it's just a little too much?” Alec suggested gently. 

Magnus looked back at the sketch. “What do you mean?” 

Alec shifted so that he was crouched in front of Magnus, turning the sketchbook toward him slightly. “Well, I know you're trying really hard. But maybe you're trying too hard? Sometimes less is more.” 

Magnus let his words sink in, scanning over the shirt. He took the sketchbook back and grabbed his eraser, slowly erasing the vertical lines. He paused for a moment before also erasing one of the pockets and zippers, leaving only the ones on the left side of the chest. Suddenly, the shirt didn't seem so overwhelming. As he stared at it, a slow smile stretched across his face. 

“That's it,” he said softly. Then he looked at Alec, his eyes blown wide in excitement. “Alexander, that was it!” 

Alec grinned as he stood. Magnus leapt to his feet, throwing his arm around Alec and hugging him tightly. He felt like a little kid on Christmas. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Magnus said, and if he could, he would have jumped up and down with Alec in his arms. Then he pulled back quickly. “I have to call Cat.”

Alec chuckled as Magnus disappeared into the kitchen to call Catarina. Magnus paced impatiently, waiting for her to answer. 

“Magnus!” She greeted warmly, and he could picture her smile. 

“Cat,” Magnus said, voice dripping with excitement. “I designed something I like.” 

Catarina gasped happily. “You did?”

“I - I can't believe it,” he said. “It feels so good. Alec helped, actually - ”

“Alec Lightwood? The neighbor?”

“Yeah,” Magnus said, a smile on his lips. 

Catarina sighed playfully. “Isn't he dreamy?”

“Oh hell no, Cat,” Magnus said, pausing in his excited pacing. “You have Ragnor. I call dibs.” 

“Dibs?” Catarina chuckled. “How old are you, five?” 

“Five and a half,” Magnus retorted, nearly sticking his tongue out, because he was mature like that, until he realized that she couldn't actually see him. 

There was a loud knock at the front door, and Alec appeared, crossing through the kitchen to answer it. Magnus was aware of Catarina talking, but he was distracted by the sound of Church growling. 

“I - I'll call you back,” he said, cutting her off and quickly hanging up. 

He stepped forward, peering around the wall that separated the kitchen and living room to look at the entryway. A tall woman stood there, her dark hair pulled back into a low, tight ponytail and a serious expression on her face. There was no mistaking the similarities between her and Alec - the dark hair and eyes, chiseled features, and a slim, tall build. She must be Alec’s mother. 

Alec signaled for Church to sit, and the dog obediently sat at his feet and stopped growling. Magnus took a small step closer, unable to resist his curiosity. 

“It would mean a lot to your father if you could be there,” she was saying, her intense gaze fixed on Alec. 

Alec’s posture was tense. Magnus couldn't see his face, but he could easily picture the guarded expression that Alec nearly always wore. 

“Is he going to be there?” Alec said, voice almost too quiet for Magnus to hear. 

“Yes,” his mother said stiffly. “They are one of your father’s biggest sponsors. Of course he's going to be there.” 

Alec didn't say anything, looking down as Church nudged his hand. 

“Have you tried talking to him?” Alec’s mother pressed. 

Alec’s head snapped up. “Why the hell would I talk to him?” 

“To hear him out?” his mother exclaimed, throwing her hands out. 

Magnus noticed Alec flinch at the movement. His mother didn't seem to notice, or she just didn't care, as she reached out, placing her hand on Alec’s shoulder. 

“I expect to see you there,” she said sternly. “There will be plenty of guests, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. Jace and Izzy are going. They are bringing Clary and Simon. You can bring a plus one, too. Maybe Lydia?” 

“Lydia and I are just friends - ”

His mother scoffed. “Things could change - ”

“Not things like that.” 

Alec’s mother rolled her eyes, but said nothing more on the matter. “Don't be late,” she snapped, turning on her heels and walking out. 

Magnus stepped out of his hiding spot as Alec shoved the door closed before turning around and leaning back against it. He shut his eyes and tilted his head back, and Magnus’s heart clenched at the sight. 

Alec’s hands were trembling violently. Church whined, nudging Alec with his nose. Alec slid down the door, allowing Church to climb into his lap. 

“I'm assuming you heard the whole thing?” Alec said suddenly, opening his eyes and looking at Magnus. 

Magnus walked over and sat on the floor across from Alec. “Was that your mother?” 

Alec nodded, a blank expression in his eyes. “Charming, isn't she?” 

“I'm not sure that's the word I’d use to describe her,” Magnus said. He hesitated before deciding to ask, “what did she want?” 

“My dad is having a lunch party tomorrow to celebrate something he's accomplished - I honestly don't know what - and I'm expected to be there. It's nothing new.” 

There was something in Alec’s tone that suggested that there was more to it though, and that something was very wrong. 

“Talk to me,” Magnus said gently. “It helps, remember?”

Alec drew in a shaky breath, tangling his fingers in Church’s fur. “Noah is going to be there.” 

Magnus’s blood turned cold. “What?” 

Alec nodded. “The Ducates are a huge part of my dad’s success. They are always invited.” 

“Has Noah come previously?” 

“Not for a while,” Alec said, absentmindedly petting Church. “After Jace found about what was happening and I broke it off with Noah, he moved to Traverse City, which is a few hours north of here, to work from that office. I haven't seen him since the night before he left, when he came to my house to try to convince me to take him back.” Alec trailed off for a moment, meeting Magnus’s gaze. “That's when he broke my wrist the second time.” 

“Jesus,” Magnus breathed out, his heart clenching. He then leaned forward. “Can I come closer?”

Alec’s eyebrows pinched together in confusion, before understanding crossed his features and he nodded. Magnus crawled over and sat next to him, leaning back against the door as well. 

“Let me know if I'm overstepping,” Magnus said, “but I heard her mention you could bring a plus one? I could go with you, if you’d like, and stay by your side the entire time.”

Alec’s eyes lit up, and a smile stretched across his face. “Are you sure? They are incredibly boring.” 

Magnus scoffed. “I've been to plenty of boring lunch parties in New York.” Then he looked at Alec more seriously. “And of course I'm sure. The thought of you having to be near him makes me sick. I'd be honored to go as your plus one.” 

“Thank you, Magnus,” Alec said quietly. 

Magnus hopped up to his feet, extending his hand toward Alec. “Alright, Alexander, no more worrying. I've got you. How about I make you dinner?” 

Alec scrunched his nose. “Can you actually cook, or are you like Izzy who just thinks she can cook?”

Magnus placed his other hand over his chest. “I am offended, Alec. Really.” 

Alec rolled his eyes and accepted Magnus’s outstretched hand, letting himself be pulled to his feet. Magnus waltzed into the kitchen and began digging through Alec’s cupboards. Alec hopped up onto the counter, letting his feet dangle, as he watched Magnus begin to prepare everything to make spaghetti. 

“Prepare to be amazed, Alexander,” Magnus said with a grin. 

Alec laughed in response, thoughts of Noah pushed to the back of his mind. 

As Magnus danced around the kitchen cooking dinner, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he could see his life like this. With Alec. Watching the sunset every night, cooking dinner together...Magnus hadn't felt so at peace in quite a long time. To be honest, he wasn't sure if he had ever felt so at peace in New York. 

Alec hopped off the counter and walked over to where Magnus was stirring the sauce in with the noodles. Alec hummed happily, reaching over Magnus and dipping his finger in the sauce. 

“Alexander!” Magnus exclaimed, turning to look at him. 

Alec licked the sauce off of his finger, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. Magnus put his hands on his hips, doing his best to glare at Alec. Alec only laughed in response, and Magnus couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. 

Yeah, he could see his life being like this. 

-

Magnus adjusted his shirt nervously. There were several things that made Magnus nervous, but fashion was never one of them. He knew clothes, and he knew what looked good. 

But as he stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his maroon shirt for probably the millionth time, he couldn't do anything to calm his nerves. As much as he already despised Mrs. Lightwood, Magnus wanted to make a good impression. 

He wanted today to go as smoothly as it could for Alec. That's what today was about. Making sure Alec felt safe. 

Noticing the time, Magnus looked himself over in the mirror one last time. His maroon shirt was tucked into navy dress pants, held up by a chestnut-brown belt and cropped at the ankle. He slipped on his favorite pair of brown oxford shoes to match his belt, checked his hair one last time, and made his way downstairs. 

Stepping out of the cottage, he recognized Jace’s white truck in Alec’s driveway. Jace had offered to drive them, saying Alec wasted enough gas driving around to take photographs. Magnus knew he just wanted to keep Alec close. 

Magnus walked over and let himself in, way past the point of knocking. He was greeted by the sight of Clary standing in the living room. Clary was dressed in a dark green dress that complimented her eyes and made them even more prominent than before. 

“Well don't you look ravishing,” Clary said with a smile. 

“I always look ravishing, my dear,” Magnus said, closing the door behind him and walking toward her. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” 

“Izzy picked it out,” she admitted with a sheepish smile. She then gestured toward the stairs. “The boys are just about ready. They’ll be down in a moment.” 

As if on cue, the sound of footsteps could be heard and Jace appeared. He was dressed in black dress pants, a gray button-up shirt, and black shoes. He joined Clary’s side. 

“Someone cleans up well,” Magnus commented, earning a smile from Jace. 

“I grew up having to go these parties,” Jace said with an eye roll. “I do actually know how to properly dress myself.” 

Magnus opened his mouth to reply, but turned at the sound of footsteps. 

It was like his mind stopped working at the sight of Alec. He was dressed in a black button-up shirt that fit snugly to his torso, a pair of black dress pants that hugged him in all the right places, and black shoes. His usually messy hair was styled slightly neater, but he had clearly run his fingers through it quite a bit. 

“Normally I'd complain about your lack of color, darling,” Magnus commented, “but I must admit you wear black very well.” 

Alec smiled, blushing when Magnus not-so-subtly scanned his eyes over him. Church appeared at Alec’s feet, and Alec crouched down to pet him. 

“You be good, okay?” Alec murmured. “We’ll be back soon.” 

Magnus felt a pang in his heart, unable to even imagine how hard it must be for Alec to leave Church at home, knowing who he was going to have to see. 

When Alec stood, Magnus tentatively held out his hand. He wasn't exactly sure where he and Alec stood. He knew that he liked Alec, and was maybe close to falling in love with him, but he wasn't sure exactly how Alec felt. He was pretty sure that Alec liked him, but Magnus wanted to be careful not to push him. 

Alec gave him a small smile and took his hand. Jace grinned and led the way out. Alec and Magnus climbed into the back seat of Jace's truck while Jace helped Clary into the passenger seat. 

“Do you think they are going to serve those disgusting eggs?” Jace said, scrunching his nose, as he began to drive. 

“Deviled eggs?” Alec said. “Yeah, probably.” 

“Ugh,” Jace groaned, and Alec smiled slightly. 

When they pulled into a driveway, Magnus’s eyes widened. The driveway was long, leading up to a large, white plantation-style house with black shutters. It was surrounded by willow trees, the leaves gleaming in the sun. It had upper and lower level porches, the lower one wrapping completely around the house. There was a large yard beyond it that eventually transitioned into woods. 

Magnus could see a barn off in the distance, a few horses grazing in a pasture. “You grew up here?” he exclaimed. 

“Yep,” Alec and Jace said at the same time. 

Magnus said nothing more as Jace parked the truck. They climbed out, and Alec instantly reached for his hand. Magnus smiled as he accepted it, happy at the fact that Alec’s hand in his was becoming a familiar feeling. 

Jace and Clary led the way down the driveway and to the backyard. A stone patio stretched from the back of the house, covering about a third of the yard. A single, long table with a white tablecloth was set up, places set for the guests. 

Magnus spotted Simon and Izzy, who were talking with another young couple. 

“That's the Blackthorns,” Alec murmured in his ear, following Magnus’s gaze. “They own several wineries throughout Michigan. And that's the Herondales,” he added, gesturing toward an older couple. “They're Jace’s grandparents, but at the time when Jace’s parents died, they were unable to take him in. So we did. He's not very close to them.” 

Magnus nodded, trying his best to remember everything. It was difficult to concentrate with Alec so close to him. 

“Alec!” 

Magnus felt Alec stiffen before they turned to see a man making his way toward them, Mrs. Lightwood at his side. Magnus took in the rigid posture, dark eyes, and skin tone - there was no denying that he was a Lightwood. 

“Father,” Alec greeted as the man reached them. 

If the tension wasn't so thick, Magnus would have laughed. Mr. Lightwood was nearly a foot shorter than Alec, making him appear far less intimidating than he was trying to be. He reached forward, placing a hand on Alec’s upper arm. Magnus noticed the effort Alec put in to not flinch. 

“I'm glad you could make it,” Mr. Lightwood said, a big smile on his face. 

Alec nodded, and then gestured to Magnus. “This is Magnus,” he said. “Magnus, this is my father, Robert, and my mother, Maryse.” 

Robert stuck his hand out, and Magnus quickly accepted it. “Magnus, is it? Are you the one staying in Ragnor Fell’s cottage?” 

“Yes, and yes,” Magnus said, forcing a smile as he shook Robert’s hand. “You have a lovely home.” 

Robert thanked him while Maryse beamed.

“How long are you staying?” Maryse asked, looking genuinely curious as she noticed how close him and Alec were standing to each other, her eyes pausing at their linked hands before settling on Magnus’s face. 

Magnus glanced up at Alec for a long moment before looking back at Robert and Maryse. “I’m undecided, at the moment. I must admit that Saugatuck is growing on me.”

“It has a way of doing that,” Robert said before they excused themselves to go and talk to other guests. 

Magnus looked up at Alec, who was gazing across the yard. Izzy and Simon were seated at the table with Jace and Clary. Jace waved them over. Alec started to lead the way when another voice caught their attention. 

“Alec.” 

Magnus felt Alec tense, and then watched as he slowly turned around. Magnus turned as well, finding himself face to face with someone he knew without having ever seen him before. His brown hair was styled perfectly, and his blue eyes were intense compared to his tan skin. 

“Noah,” Alec said stiffly, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“How...how are you?” Noah flashed a timid smile, taking a small step closer. 

Magnus could see why Alec had fallen for him. Noah’s entire being screamed confidence, and there was something about him that drew people in. He had an easy smile, one that made people feel comfortable. 

Alec glanced at Magnus, and Magnus did his best to offer him a reassuring smile. 

Alec looked back at Noah. “I'm good.” 

Noah smiled. “That's good.” 

“How’s Traverse City?” Alec forced out. 

“It's nice,” Noah said with a small nod. “But, it's not Saugatuck. I've been thinking about moving back.” 

Magnus felt Alec go completely still. Noah glanced at Magnus, who glared back, before taking another small step toward Alec. 

“Alec, could we talk privately for a moment?” 

Magnus didn't like Noah’s sudden change in tone. It was as if he expected Alec to easily agree, or to follow him without question. Magnus was ready to tell him to fuck off, but Alec spoke first. 

“No,” Alec said, in a tone that suggested the conversation was over. “I don't think that's a good idea.” 

Anger flashed in Noah’s eyes. Before he could say anything more, Alec took ahold of Magnus’s hand again and led him toward the table where Jace, Izzy, Simon, and Clary were waiting, all watching the exchange. 

“Do I need to kill him?” Jace ground out as soon as they were seated. 

“No,” Alec said quietly. He ran a hand through his hair, and you could only tell his fingers were trembling slightly if you looked closed enough. 

“What did he want?” Izzy asked, fire ablaze in her eyes. 

“To talk,” Alec said tightly. “I told him no.” 

“I would have told him to take that arrogant smile of his and -” Jace began, but Clary nudged him with her elbow, and he clamped his mouth shut. 

Lunch started not long after, and Magnus found himself seated between Simon and Alec. Izzy was seated across from Simon, while Clary and Jace were seated across from him and Alec. Beside Alec and Jace, their parents sat across from each other. And then the Ducates were seated, the Blackthorns and Herondales just beyond them. 

“So, Noah, I hear you are considering moving back to Saugatuck?” Robert asked before taking a sip of his drink, as he looked down the table to where Noah sat. 

Maryse looked up sharply, something flashing in her eyes. 

Noah flashed a smile. “Yes. I’ve missed it here.”

Magnus noticed his eyes drift toward Alec, who refused to look in his direction and was instead pushing his food around on his plate with his fork. 

“We’ve missed having him here,” Mrs. Ducate added, her posture perfect and a tight smile plastered on her face. 

“I can imagine you have,” Maryse said, and Magnus noticed that something was slightly off with her tone. 

Magnus shared a look with Alec, who offered a small shrug in response. Alec wasn’t kidding when he said these lunch parties were boring. Magnus had finished his food long ago, but the conversations seemed like they were never going to end. Magnus didn’t even know what they were talking about at the moment. Something about cleaning up algae in the lake?

Jace looked just as bored as Magnus felt, and was currently engaged in a silent war with Simon. Magnus bit down a laugh as Jace managed to discretely throw a blueberry, hitting Simon in the forehead. Simon glared, and even Alec smiled slightly. 

A little while later, Alec leaned toward Magnus, letting him know he was going to the bathroom and that he would be right back. Magnus leaned back in his chair, watching him go until he was out of sight. 

“Thank you for coming today, Magnus,” Jace said quietly, grabbing his attention. “It means a lot to him. And to me. I don’t know how much he’s told you…”

“He’s told me enough,” Magnus said, and Jace nodded once in understanding. 

As the minutes ticked by with no sign of Alec returning, Magnus began to grow paranoid. He saw Jace glance down at his watch, a frown on his face. Magnus leaned forward, peering down the table. His heart dropped when he noticed that Noah’s chair was empty. So was Maryse’s. Magnus turned toward Jace, kicking him underneath the table. 

Jace jumped, his knees bumping the table and causing the dishes to clank together loudly. The conversation paused as everyone turned to look in their direction, and Jace offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Leg cramp.” 

Robert raised a questioning eyebrow before quickly regaining the guest’s attention. Jace looked at Magnus with a confused expression. Magnus subtly gestured toward Noah’s empty seat. Jace’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment before realization dawned on his features. He quickly excused himself, standing and walking toward the house. Magnus didn’t hesitate to follow him. 

“He said he was going to the bathroom,” Magnus said as soon as they were far enough away from the table. 

Jace said nothing, leading the way inside. The faint sound of shouting greeted their ears, and they quickened their pace as Jace led the way down a hallway. When they rounded the corner, Magnus found himself face to face with the last thing he expected. 

Noah and Maryse were facing each other. Alec stood between them, off to the side, watching them with wide eyes. Jace and Magnus both paused in their steps, confusion controlling their features. 

“How dare you,” Maryse was snarling, pointing her finger at Noah. “You’re lucky we didn’t press charges last time, and then you come here and expect to be able to do the same thing? If I ever, ever see you lay a hand on my son again, I will personally see that you go to prison.” 

Magnus looked at Alec, noticing that the cuff of one of sleeves was torn. 

Maryse took a step forward, keeping her finger pointed at Noah. “And if I were you, I’d heavily reconsider your decision to move back here. Because if I see you even anywhere near my son, or any of my children, you will have hell to pay.” 

Noah was speechless. His eyes were blown wide and his mouth hung open slightly. 

“Get out of my house,” Maryse snapped. 

Noah jumped, as if her words had slapped him, and hurried out of the house. Maryse turned to Alec, stepping forward and reaching toward him. She closed her eyes for a moment when he winced, before gently cupping his cheeks as she looked at him. 

“Alec, I am so sorry,” she forced out, her voice trembling. “I know that there is nothing I can say or do that will ever make up for what I did to you, or how I handled any of this situation. But I can promise you that he will never hurt you again.” 

Alec stared at her with wide eyes, seeming unable to say anything. Maryse ran her thumb over his cheek before pulling her hands away. 

“I’m sorry,” she said again, her voice barely above a whisper. Then she pinched her lips shut and turned away. She looked at Jace, and then at Magnus. “Take care of him.” 

Before Magnus could say anything, she walked away. Magnus watched her go, unsure what to think about what had just happened. 

Jace walked over to Alec’s side, gently grabbing his shoulder. “What happened?” 

Alec blinked a few times, as if he just now realized they were there. “When I came out of the bathroom, he was waiting for me. He started talking about how he was moving back, and that he wanted another chance. I told him no, and I tried to walk away. He grabbed my shirt sleeve and pulled me back.” He paused, lifting his arm and looking at his torn sleeve, before continuing. “I kept trying to get away, but he wouldn’t let go...and that’s when mom showed up.” 

“You’re mom is kind of terrifying,” Magnus whispered and after a moment, both Jace and Alec smiled. 

“Try growing up with her,” Jace said, his grin widening. “If we heard the sound of her heels coming up the stairs, we knew we were in deep shit.” 

“You were in deep shit,” Alec corrected. “You just always dragged me into it.” 

Jace rolled his eyes. Then he looked at Alec with a more serious expression. “Are you ready to get out of here?” 

Alec nodded, letting out a breath. “Yeah.” 

Magnus offered a gentle smile and reached out his hand. Alec instantly accepted it, and the two of them made their way to the truck while Jace went to fetch Clary. 

“Are you okay?” Magnus asked quietly as Alec released his hands and leaned against the truck, crossing his arms over his chest. 

After a moment, Alec nodded. “Yeah.” 

“No you’re not,” Magnus said, suddenly realized how they had reversed roles. It was his turn to help Alec. 

“But I will be,” Alec said, looking at Magnus with a soft expression in his eyes. 

Magnus stepped forward and Alec opened his arms, allowing Magnus to fall against his chest. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec’s waist and leaned against him. They stood like that in silence for several moments, and Magnus was content to listen to the sound of Alec’s heartbeat forever. 

“Magnus,” Alec said gently, breaking him out of his moment of peace. “Jace and Clary are coming. You have to let go.” 

“Nope,” Magnus mumbled stubbornly, tightening his grip around Alec’s waist. 

Alec chuckled in his ear, trailing his fingers along Magnus’s side. 

Magnus suddenly let out a yelp, jumping back. “Did you just tickle me?” 

Alec said nothing, only grinning and opening the door for Magnus. Magnus glared playfully before climbing into the truck. Alec climbed in beside him, and Magnus reached his hand out again. Alec accepted it, and Magnus pulled it into his lap, playing with Alec’s fingers during the ride home. 

Home. Magnus realized with a jolt that he had thought of the cottages as home. His grip on Alec’s hand tightened slightly, and Alec looked at him curiously. When they reached the cottage, Jace and Clary didn’t come in. Alec unlocked the door and led the way inside. Magnus shut the door behind him and for a moment, they stood in silence, staring at each other. 

Church barked in excitement, and Alec flinched at the sudden noise. Church pressed up against his legs, whining as he picked up on Alec’s mood. 

“Let’s get out of these clothes,” Magnus said. “And I can make you some tea.” 

“At least take me on a date first,” Alec said, and Magnus grinned at him as they made their way to Alec’s room. 

Alec tossed Magnus the sweater and sweatpants that Magnus had worn the first time he had come over. Magnus quickly changed, smiling at the comfort the clothes provided. He looked back toward Alec to see that he was struggling to unbutton his shirt with trembling fingers. 

Magnus crossed the room quietly. He placed his hands over Alec’s, giving them a gentle squeeze before he unbuttoned Alec’s shirt for him. 

“Thank you,” Alec said softly before he changed into a large black sweatshirt and a pair of black sweatpants. 

Church jumped up, knocking Alec backwards onto the bed. A laugh escaped Alec’s lips as Church began to lick his face repeatedly before settling on Alec’s chest. 

“I don’t think he’s going to let me up,” Alec said, smiling as he lifted his head to look at Magnus. 

Magnus smiled back. “Do you want me to go?” he asked gently, unsure if Alec needed space. 

Alec’s smile faltered, and he shook his head. “No,” he said quietly. “Stay. Please.” 

Magnus nodded and climbed into the bed next to Alec. Church rolled off of Alec and settled between them, making Magnus smile. Alec grabbed the blankets, pulling them over the three of them, and laying on his side so that he was facing Magnus. Magnus mimicked him so that they faced each other, Church being the only thing that separated them. 

“Thank you for today,” Alec said, exhaustion taking over his features. 

“Anything for you, Alexander,” Magnus murmured softly. 

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” Alec said suddenly. 

Magnus furrowed his eyebrows. “About what?” 

“About Saugatuck growing on you,” Alec said carefully, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. “About being unsure of when you were leaving.” 

“Yes, I meant it,” Magnus whispered, staring intently at Alec. “You’ve unlocked something in me, Alexander. Something that I’ve kept repressed since Camille broke my heart. I didn’t think I would ever feel this way about someone again, especially not so soon. I don’t know if you feel the same way - ”

“I do.” 

Magnus stared at Alec, his entire body tingling. Alec looked so sure, not a single doubt evident on his features. He was looking at Magnus like he was the light to his world, like he was the solution to all of his problems. 

“You do,” Magnus breathed out, finding himself at a loss of words. 

“I do,” Alec repeated, his voice stronger than before. “You make me feel safe.” 

Magnus was suddenly aware of tears in his eyes, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Alec reached his hand across, gently wiping them away his thumb. Church let out a soft whine and leaned closer to Magnus. 

“You make me feel safe, too,” Magnus whispered, reopening his eyes to look at Alec. “You make my heart feel safe.” 

And as Magnus lay there, staring at Alec’s face as he drifted to sleep, Magnus felt whole for the first time in a long time. The hole in his heart wasn’t completely filled, but it was well on it’s way. It was like Alec had been sent to him by some greater force, pushing two broken pieces together in order to create a new, better whole. 

Magnus wasn’t sure what the next step in his life was, but he knew he wanted it to be with Alec. When he was with Alec, everything felt right. The storm that had been raging within him felt at peace. He was at peace. He was finally at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed :') 
> 
> A lot of people have been asking about the length of this fic, and have been asking if it will be longer than originally planned. First off, thank you sooo much! It means so much to me that you love this story enough to want more of it. 
> 
> Secondly, when I originally planned out this fic, it was four chapters. I have decided to stretch it out to five, because otherwise the story felt way too rushed. As of now, I do not see it going beyond five chapters. However, that doesn't mean that there won't ever be a sequel! 
> 
> Again, thank you all so much for your kind comments. It makes me happy to see that you are enjoying this story so much. Thank you for making me feel so welcome since this is my first fic I have ever posted! 
> 
> *squeezes you all in a big hug* 
> 
> Feel free to stalk me on twitter: @ReneeWritesx - I tweet about random things that come to my mind and post a lot of pictures of my dogs. 
> 
> Hope you have a wonderful day! :)


	5. And Heal, Heal, Heal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves,
> 
> Again, thank you soooo much for all of your kind comments. I'm glad you have loved this story. 
> 
> So without further ado, the final chapter. :)

*Two Months Later*

“So you’re really staying in Saugatuck?” 

“Yes, Cat, I’m staying,” Magnus said as he stuffed the last of his things into a box. “It...it feels like home.” 

“What about your business?” 

“I’ll continue to design from here,” Magnus said. “I’ve already worked out the details with my agent. I’ll have to travel to New York from time to time, and of course I’ll be there for Fashion Week, but I can continue my responsibilities from here.”

“I’m so happy for you, Magnus,” Catarina said, and Magnus looked up to where his phone was resting to see her smiling. 

He could see Ragnor in the background, typing away on his laptop, working on his latest book. Raphael was sitting on the couch next to Catarina, his usual glare present as he stared at Magnus through the phone. 

“If you're staying in Saugatuck, then why are you packing up your shit?” 

“Oh, Raphael,” Magnus said with a sigh. “I've missed your grumpiness. Sometimes I miss the rudeness of New York.” 

Raphael rolled his eyes and then raised his eyebrows expectantly, clearly waiting for Magnus to answer his question. 

“Well,” Magnus said with a ghost of a smile on his lips, “I can’t just live in Ragnor’s cottage forever.” 

Ragnor looked away from his laptop, standing up and walking over to the back of the couch. “You can stay there as long as you need,” he said, bending down so that his head was visible on the screen. 

“I already have a place,” Magnus said with a small, nonchalant shrug. 

The three of them were silent for a moment before realization dawned on Catarina’s face. 

“You’re moving in with Alec,” she said, a huge grin spreading across her face. 

Magnus nodded, biting his lip in excitement, and then suddenly felt a pang of worry. “You don’t think it’s too soon, do you?” 

Catarina tilted her head back, sharing a look with Ragnor. Surprisingly, it was Raphael who spoke up. 

“Only you can decide that, Magnus,” he said, leaning forward slightly. “We can’t decide what is right for you. You’ve come a long way and whatever makes you happy, makes us happy. I don’t think that Alec guy realizes what he’s getting himself into though, you’re insufferable in the morning.” 

“Wow, Raphael,” Magnus said. “That was almost nice.” 

Raphael shrugged, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. 

“He’s right though,” Ragnor insisted. “Only you can decide what is right for you. As your friends, we’ll support you no matter what. But I swear to god if this boy hurts you -”

“He won’t,” Magnus said, cutting him off. “At least not like that. Alec is nothing like Camille.” 

Magnus glanced at his watch, noticing the time. “I have to go,” he said, looking back at the phone screen. “There’s a festival going on in town today and tonight they are shooting off fireworks. I’m supposed to be at Alec’s in like ten minutes.” 

“Going to a town festival and fireworks?” Ragnor mused. “You really have gone all domestic on us.” 

“Oh, shut up,” Magnus said affectionately, rolling his eyes. He let out a small sigh. “I miss you guys.” 

“We’ll just have to come visit soon then, won’t we?” Catarina said, and Raphael looked at her in horror. 

“I bet the town smells like fish,” he muttured. 

“Careful, Raph, or you’re the next person we send to Saugatuck for a summer,” Ragnor said and Raphael threw his pillow at him. 

“Please do come visit soon,” Magnus said as he stood, lifting his phone with him. 

Catarina promised that they would, and then she ended the call. Magnus sighed happily, shoving his phone in his back pocket and looking around the cottage. During his time there, he had left his little touches. A sketchbook thrown lazily on the couch, wine glasses stacked in the sink. Now everything was packed up and everything was clean again. 

He never thought he would feel anything close to sadness at the thought of leaving the cottage. But the place had grown on him. It probably had to do something with the cute neighbor that had changed his life forever. Magnus smiled. At least he wasn’t going too far. 

Magnus bent down, picking up the box he had been packing, which contained the last of his things, and made his way out the front door. He set the box down on the porch and then turned, pulling the door closed and locking it. He scooped the box back into his arms and made his way over to Alec’s. 

When he stepped inside, he dropped the box down in the entryway and looked around for Alec. Seeing no sign of him or Church, Magnus figured that they were most likely in the sunroom. Magnus crossed through the house, finding his theory to be correct. He leaned in the doorway, watching Alec for a moment. 

Alec was seated at the table they had set up for Magnus to do his work at. He held a mug of coffee in his hands as he stared out at the lake. Magnus couldn’t quite read the expression on Alec’s face, but he thought he seemed to be content. Church lay at his feet, his tail wagging at the sight of Magnus. 

Alec turned his head, smiling when he saw Magnus. Magnus smiled in return and walked up behind Alec, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and linking his hands together over Alec’s chest. He kissed the side of Alec’s head, burying his nose in his hair for a moment before resting his chin on Alec’s shoulder. 

“I brought the last of my stuff over,” Magnus said, and Alec placed his free hand over Magnus’s linked hands. 

“I guess that makes it official,” Alec said, turning his head so that he could smile at Magnus. 

“I guess it does,” Magnus said with a grin before stretching forward to connect their lips. 

-

“Okay,” Magnus panted as he paused in his walking, placing his hands on his hips and looking at Alec. “Tell me again why we are doing this instead of going into town to enjoy the festival?” 

Alec grinned while Izzy and Jace snickered from further up the trail, Clary watching with amusement in her eyes. Magnus glared in their direction before looking back at Alec. 

“Where we are going has the best view of the fireworks,” Alec said, explaining it for what had to be the tenth time. “I told you to wear better shoes.” 

Magnus scoffed, offended, as he looked down at his boots. “They're combat boots! Perfect for hiking.” 

Alec shook his head affectionately. “Sure, if they were actual combat boots. Those are fashion boots, they don't have any real support.” 

Magnus opened his mouth to protest, but then shut it again, knowing Alec was right. He pouted, earning a gentle laugh from Alec. 

Simon finally caught up, joining Magnus’s side. He placed his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath, before looking at Izzy and mirroring Magnus’s position, placing his hands on his hips. “I think I’m dying. I have hiked this trail and now I will die on it.” 

“Oh shut up,” Izzy said, rolling her eyes. “We’ve only been hiking for fifteen minutes.” 

Simon gaped. “Only fifteen? Seriously? You might as well go on without me.” 

Izzy rolled her eyes again before walking to Simon, grabbing his hand and pulling him along despite his whines of protest. 

They all began walking again, besides Alec and Magnus. Alec readjusted the backpack he was carrying and walked back down to Magnus. 

“Come on,” he said, stretching his hand out. “I promise it’s worth it.” 

“It better be,” Magnus grumbled, but smiled as he took Alec’s hand. “Because my makeup is totally ruined.” 

“You look fine,” Alec said, helping Magnus over a fallen log. 

“I hope I look far better than fine, Alexander,” Magnus said. “Or I'm turning around right this instant.” 

Alec suddenly pulled him close, smirking slightly as he caught Magnus off guard. “You look amazing, Magnus,” he said, voice deep and filled with adoration. 

Just as quick as he had pulled him close, Alec was stepping away and starting down the path again. 

Magnus choked as he stood there, stunned, before he scrambled to catch up with Alec. “You can't say something like that and then expect me to keep breathing!” He exclaimed. 

Alec laughed, taking ahold of Magnus’s hand again. 

Alec was not kidding when he said was worth it. When they reached the end of the trail, Magnus found himself standing in a small, grassy meadow on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the lake. Behind them sat the forest they had just hiked through, and they had the entire meadow to themselves. 

Jace and Clary immediately began to lay out blankets and set up a picnic they had packed for everyone. Simon was lying in the grass, his arms and legs sprawled out. Izzy sat beside him, looking at him affectionately. 

Alec released Magnus’s hand and walked closer to the edge, setting his backpack down. Magnus sat down in the grass near him and watched as he began to unpack his photography equipment. He worked quickly to set up a tripod, placing his large camera on top. He made a few adjustments before stepping back, satisfied. 

The sun was beginning to set, blanketing the meadow in shades of purple, pink, and orange. The six of them gathered together on the blankets, passing around food and sharing stories. Simon had finally been brought back to life by the smell of the subs that Jace had made, and was happily eating one while he listened to Izzy talk. 

Magnus felt absolutely at peace as he sat between Alec’s legs, leaning backwards against Alec’s chest. Alec gently massaged Magnus’s shoulders and upper arms, and it took all of Magnus’s willpower to not voice his pleasure out loud. 

Magnus noticed Jace watching them every now and then, but he didn’t mind. Being protective of someone wasn’t something that just disappeared overnight, and he had a feeling that it was something that would never stop when it came to Jace and Alec. 

Tilting his head back, Magnus gazed up at Alec. Alec smiled back lazily, a lopsided grin on his face. 

“When will the fireworks start?” Magnus asked. 

“Any minute now,” Alec said. 

He gently shifted Magnus out of his lap and stood, walking over to his camera. Magnus watched, a fond smile on his lips, as Alec messed around with it until he seemed happy with how everything was set. 

Alec looked back at him. “Come over here,” he said, gesturing with his hand for Magnus to join him. “You'll have a better view.” 

Magnus stood and walked over. When he reached Alec, Alec smiled at him before pointing below the cliff. Magnus followed where he was pointing, and his breath caught in his throat. 

Saugatuck sat below them, a little ways down the coast. As night began to settle, the sky tinted with hues of deep purples and blue, the outdoor lights in town had been lit up, reminding Magnus of the picture he saw in Alec’s gallery the day he had confessed everything to him. 

It was beautiful. It was home. 

Alec snapped a few pictures, an easy smile on his face. The fireworks started, and Magnus tilted his head back slightly, blinking away the tears that had started to gather in his eyes. 

He watched as the stunning streams of color and light rose above the town, their booms echoing through the air and across the lake. Magnus’s heart swelled beyond what he thought capable. He was so happy. He wasn't sure if he had ever been this happy.

Magnus’s eyes drifted to Alec. He watched the way Alec gazed at the fireworks, and he watched the way the different colors cast by the fireworks danced across Alec’s skin. 

Magnus wasn't sure what he had done to get so lucky. He didn't know if the universe had finally decided to give him a break, or if he had finally run out of bad luck, but no matter what the explanation was, he was grateful for it. 

Alec slowly pulled his gaze away from the fireworks, making eye contact with Magnus. Magnus stared back at him, unable to pull his eyes away. He took a step forward, wrapping his arms around Alec’s neck. 

“You were right,” Magnus whispered. 

“Yeah?” Alec said softly. “About what?”

“This was worth it,” Magnus said. “All of it. It was all worth it.” 

Magnus knew that he didn't need to explain further for Alec to understand. Alec knew. Alec understood. 

Alec grinned at him before cupping Magnus’s cheeks and connecting their lips. Fireworks literally and metaphorically exploded the moment their lips touched. Magnus was pretty sure it was a feeling he would never really get used to. The way his body tingled, always craving more, and the way his heart raced, completely out of his control. 

Magnus pulled back after a moment, remaining close so that their noses still touched. “Thank you, Alexander.” 

“For what?” Alec murmured, kissing him again briefly before he could answer. 

“For everything,” Magnus said, breathless. “For making me whole again.” 

Alec pulled back further, looking at Magnus as if he was his whole world. He ran his thumb over Magnus’s cheek, and Magnus leaned into the touch slightly. “I should be the one thanking you,” he murmured quietly. 

“Let's consider it even,” Magnus said, grinning. 

Alec’s eyes twinkled as a smile stretched across his face and a small laugh escaped his lips. “Deal.” 

Magnus smiled, leaning closer and resting his head on Alec's chest, turning his gaze back to the fireworks. Alec kissed Magnus's temple before placing his chin on top of Magnus's head. Magnus sighed happily and tightened his arms around Alec's waist. And as he stood there, perfectly content in Alec's arms, Magnus knew he had found peace. He knew that he was where he was meant to be. And he had no plans on ever, ever leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the final chapter! 
> 
> A lot of people have commented about wanting more, and there is a possibility that I will eventually write a sequel to this. But for now, this is the end! 
> 
> I have an idea for my next fic, and I will be posting the first chapter soon. I'm super excited about it! 
> 
> Hope you are having a great day! 
> 
> Talk to me on twitter: @ReneeWritesx


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